As sure as my name is Helpless and I'm the oldest
water-snake in the whole forest, I'll be avenged! I shall not rest until
that elk lies as dead on the ground as my poor old snake-wife."
When the snake had made this vow he curled up into a hoop and began to
ponder. One can hardly imagine anything that would be more difficult for
a poor water-snake than to wreak vengeance upon a big, strong elk; and
old Helpless pondered day and night without finding any solution.
One night, as he lay there with his vengeance-thoughts, he heard a
slight rustle over his head. He glanced up and saw a few light nun moths
playing in among the trees.
He followed them with his eyes a long while; then began to hiss loudly
to himself, apparently pleased with the thought that had occurred to
him--then he fell asleep.
The next morning the water-snake went over to see Crawlie, the adder,
who lived in a stony and hilly part of Liberty Forest. He told him all
about the death of the old water-snake, and begged that he who could
deal such deadly thrusts would undertake the work of vengeance. But
Crawlie was not exactly disposed to go to war with an elk.
"If I were to attack an elk," said the adder, "he would instantly kill
me. Old Harmless is dead and gone, and we can't bring her back to life,
so why should I rush into danger on her account?"
When the water-snake got this reply he raised his head a whole foot from
the ground, and hissed furiously:
"Vish vash! Vish vash!" he said.
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