Serpents are creatures used in a question about a father’s response to his son. “Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent” (3 Nephi 14:10).
Poisonous serpents could not harm people “because of the power of his word” (Mormon 8:24). Those who believe “shall take up serpents,” and “if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them” (Mormon 9:24).