Old Cherokee Legend

[Puller]

Once upon a time there was a young boy who wanted to climb a mountain to see the view from the top. He climbed and climbed and when he finally reached the top he heard a small voice that said, "help me, help me, I'm cold." He looked around and finally saw a snake huddled under a rock.

"What's the matter snake?" he asked.

The snake answered, "I climbed up here to see the view but it's so cold I can't get back down. Please put me in your pocket and take me back down with you where it's warm."

"But you are a snake, you will bite me" the boy answered back.

"No, no, I promise not to bite you if you'll just help me" cried the snake.

So the boy picked up the snake and placed it in his jacket pocket and climbed back down the mountain. When he reached the bottom he took the snake out his pocket and laid it on the ground. The snake, enjoying the warm air below, wriggled around, coiled, then struck the boy on the leg.

"Hey!!" shouted the boy. "You promised not to bite me if I brought you down the mountain."

And the snake replied, "you knew what I was when you picked me up."

- old Cherokee legend

 

[Eric300]

There's a song about that from years ago.....

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULx9k2QkL94[/ame]

 

[crazyphil]

Lot of philosophy in that little story.

 

[S42N8]

The scorpion and the turtle. Same principle, different cultures.

 

[JohnHL]

You beat me to it, S42N8!

John

 

[Onomea]

That story gets around:

The Farmer and the Viper

One winter a Farmer found a Viper frozen and numb with cold, and out of pity picked it up and placed it in his bosom. The Viper was no sooner revived by the warmth than it turned upon its benefactor and inflicted a fatal bite upon him; and as the poor man lay dying, he cried, "I have only got what I deserved, for taking compassion on so villainous a creature."

Aesop's Fables: The Farmer and the Viper | Infoplease

 

[GypsmJim]

A little birdie was a procrastinator. When the snow and sleet hit, THEN he decided to fly south for the Winter.

Quickly, his wings froze up and he fell to the ground landing in a pasture. He was almost dead.

Along came a cow and laid a plop right on top of him. It was warm and filled with bird seed. He began to thaw out and started to eat the seeds. So happy, he began to sing and sing and sing.

Along came a cat and heard the singing. He pawed at the plop and freed the little birdie. Then, he ate him.

So, the moral of the story is????

People that **** on you aren't necessarily your enemy. People that get you out of the **** aren't necessarily your friend. So, if you're warm and have a full belly, just keep your doggone mouth shut.

 

[JohnHL]

That's one of my favorites, GypsmJim, and came to mind while reading this thread.

Thanks for posting!

John

 

[Doug M.]

The snake story seems to be a constant across cultures. I recall reading something similar in a collection of Aesop's fables or something similar when I was a little kid.

 

[Truckman]

Apparently the boy was not an attorney...Snakes and lawyers are known to have a professional courtesy agreement not to bite each other......Ben

 

[THE PILGRIM]

Yes I stepped back when I saw this one.
Then I realized that it wasn't a real live snake.
Yes it's true, often things aren't what they appear to be.