Scorpion

Frog and scorpion

An old story.

Frog stood by the riverbank, ready to jump into the water and swim to the other side. ‘Wait a minute,’ said Scorpion, who suddenly emerged from the bushes along the water's edge. ‘I’d like to get to the other side, but I can’t swim. May I hitch a ride on your back, Frog?’

Kikker said: ‘I don't think so! I know you. If I let you on my back, you'll sting me with your poisonous sting and I'll be done for. No, thank you kindly, go find another idiot!’ And he started to push himself off the bank.

‘I would never do that!’, cried Scorpion. ‘That would be incredibly stupid. If I stung you while you were carrying me on your back across the river, we would both drown! No, don't worry, I really won't sting you. You would be my hero!’

The Frog thought hard. Frogs and Scorpions had never been friends. They had never formed a coalition. Scorpion had a clear advantage if the Frog cooperated. But what was the advantage for him?

‘Alright,’ said Frog. ‘If you don't sting me and you defend me from now on against the Stork, the Weasel, and the Fox, then I'll take you across.’ ‘No problem, you just have to quack and I'll be there for you,’ said Scorpion.

And so the deal was done. Scorpion climbed onto Frog's back, who immediately began to swim to the other side. He felt a little uncomfortable, Scorpion's claws gripping his shoulders tightly. ‘Are you alright?’ asked Frog. ‘Yes, fine,’ said Scorpion.

Halfway across the river, Frog suddenly felt a sharp sting in his side. Scorpion had stung him after all. ‘What are you doing!’, cried Frog, in sudden mortal terror. He felt the Scorpion clutch his shoulders even tighter. As they began to sink downwards together, Scorpion whispered in Frog’s ear: ‘I’m sorry… I can’t help it. It’s in my nature…’


Who are you?

The frog? The one that your fellow man actually distrusts, but you want to trust so badly that you go under yourself?

Or the scorpion? It stings because it can't do otherwise, but in doing so also drowns?

We can continue to destroy each other, whether intentionally or unintentionally.

We can also accept that there are simply frogs and scorpions that only progress when they help each other.

I'd be happy to help you with transport if you don't have your own. I don't mind if you're a frog or a scorpion or anything else.

Choose the car here that you want to travel in (alone or with someone else).

Replies to this post

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

eighteen - ten =