The ichneumon is the enemy of the snake. When it sees a snake, the ichneumon covers itself with mud, and closing its nostrils with its tail, attacks and kills the serpent. When it fights with an asp it raises its tail; the asp sees the raised tail as a threat, and thus deceived it is killed. Some say it is also the enemy of the crocodile and attacks it in the same way.

The Greek word translated as "ichneumon" was the name used for the "pharaoh's rat" or mongoose, which attacks snakes; it can also mean "otter".