Prevod

A viper used to visit a spring to drink, but the water snake that lived there tried to stop him, indignant that he was not content with his own domain but came intruding upon hers as well. As their quarrel grew ever fiercer, they agreed to fight, with the winner to have possession of both the land and the water. Once they had appointed a day, the frogs, who hated the water snake, came to the viper and encouraged him, promising to fight at his side. When the battle began, the viper fought the water snake, while the frogs, unable to do anything more, croaked at the tops of their voices. After winning, the viper reproached them: though they had promised to fight alongside him, during the battle they had not helped at all, but had merely sung. They replied, “You should understand, my friend, that our support consists not in deeds, but in our voices alone.” The fable shows that where action is needed, help offered only in words is of no use.