I AM THE FORCE

A countryman happen'd in a hard winter to spy a snake under a hedge, that was half frozen to death. The man was good natur'd, and took it up, and kept it in his bosom, till warmth brought it to life again; and so soon as ever it was in condition to do mischief, it bit the very man that sav'd the life on't. Ah thou ungrateful wretch! says he, is that venomous ill nature of thine to be satisfi'd with nothing less than the ruine of thy preserver.

Moral

There are some men like some snakes; 'tis natural to them to be doing mischief; and the greater the benefit on the one side, the more implacable is the malice on the other.