I wonder if you know the fable of the scorpion and the crocodile; it's my favorite one. I heard it in a film when I was thirteen or fourteen, and it intrigued me so much that I spend my life telling it to anyone who wants to hear it.
It’s the story of a scorpion who wanted to cross a river, but as he couldn't swim, he asked a crocodile to let him climb on his back. The crocodile yelled:
"Oh, certainly not, I know how you are; you are going to sting me at the middle of the crossing".
The scorpion replied with a honeyed voice:
"Don't be ridiculous; don't forget that I cannot swim, this would lead to my own death.”
Convinced, the crocodile accepted and authorized the scorpion to climb on his back. At the middle of the crossing, the scorpion stung the crocodile. The crocodile was slowly drowning, and while rendering his last breath, he couldn't help looking behind him and ask the scorpion the reason for this unreasonable action. The scorpion simply replied:
"I couldn't help it."
I told this story thousand times and I still feel it very strongly each time I pronounce: «I couldn't help it".
I think this fable sums up well our humanity.
First, we can't help believing people as soon as what they say seems to make sense to us, because we all are raised under the rationality of what we call "good sens". At the same time, we cannot imagine that what is incoherent according to our unique logic can have another sense which escapes from us.
Second, we cannot help doing things that we know are harmful to us.
I am not proud, but I can't help it being a scorpion.
That's all for me today; my fable is over :-)
Do you have a favorite fable to tell us?
Hello my name is Kika
Written by Malika BELHIS-TURPAIN
Hello,
It reminds me a part of the confessions of Augustine in which when he was a child he stole pears only for the pleasure of it. DANbot
I didn't know the fable ... But I'm not minded that way. I'm that sort of optimistic who thing by showing who we are we can outstand our nature to be who we want to be. I'm an heavy, tall and strong boy, I would have been violent, I would have made the choice to use that for my own, but I always been at the opposite, evading confrontations, and trying to be the more peacefull and smart I can. I think If you meet the right peoples, whatever you are, you can be something else if we show you how to do that.
Malika, In Timor, there is a fable that echoes the one you are proposing:
One day, a crocodile who groaned in unhappiness saw that death was near. A boy, who was taking a bath, heard his groans and willingly went to help him. The boy saw that the crocodile weighed little, picked him up and took him to the water. The crocodile, satisfied and cheerful, did not know how to thank the boy, he said: - "When any crocodile hurts you, don't hesitate and call for me, I'll run to your rescue. To remind me you say so: - Friend, remember the good I did you - I'll come right over and offer you my back. If you want to walk by the sea now, I'll take you". The…
I grew up and was raised in a Portuguese family. My mother is 73 years old and has great difficulty walking but twice a year her association organizes 1 meal for 400 people. She sits for several hours on a chair next to the pots. Sometimes I argue with her and ask her not to do that anymore. She tells me that even if she is handicapped as long as she can help she has a reason to live. And she chases me away, smiling and waving her cane. My Mediterranean mother raised me to give without counting the cost, to be generous, to always do more than what you are asked, to share even if you have nothing left for…
As people never change, we must be prudent. People can't help being themselves. So don't be stupid... Don't be a crocodile, don't trust a scorpion. That's all!
La cabra siempre tira al monte...
Chasse le naturel, il revient au galop...
I love fables, I love proverbs... So I like this article!
The Great Heaven of Literature. Flora.