THE FROG AND THE SCORPION

Once upon a time there used to be a frog who lived on the banks of a very large lake. The lake was always busy with animals and insects trying to make a living near the source of water. Usually when frogs appear in stories, they either tend to be cursed royalty waiting for a maiden’s kiss or an agent of something evil. This frog was neither. He was a regular frog who lived his life peacefully, had a reputation to be a good man and helped people when he could afford to.

One day, a scorpion came to the frog and requested for his help. “Dear friend, I need to reach the other side of this lake. I have some urgent business there and I was told that you were someone who helps a man in need. Please help me with this small thing and I’ll pay you back when the time comes”. The frog looked the scorpion in the eye and said, “You heard it right and I do help people, but look at you. Your stinger is longer than your tongue. I am not an idiot. I have enough sense to not trust someone whose stinger is longer than his tongue! “

Tears welled up in the eyes of the scorpion. “Dear friend, how can you say such a thing? I know I have a stinger, but I barely use it to sting. This is more like a decoration than a real thing. You have to understand I have changed my ways now and I am a new being.” The frog was sympathetic to see the plight of the scorpion. However evolution had taught it to be wary of a creature whose stinger was longer than its tongue. Frog said, “As much as I want to help you, I feel that during our journey, you will forget all your new resolutions and will sting me anyway. And this would be the end of us both. Why do you want to go over any way? Don’t you see this journey might be the end of both of us?”

The scorpion smiled and said, “See you have answered your own doubts. If I end up stinging you, it would spell my doom too. I know I am lower than you in brain development, but I know enough to understand that I cannot sting you while we are together. The very fact that my life is also in your hands should be enough to clarify your doubts.” Frog shook his head and said, “I don’t know, it is a risk.”

Seeing that the frog still had his misgivings, the scorpion told, “Dear friend I am going to convince you about this. Let me call my associates to vouch for me.” Saying this, the scorpion went away, as the frog looked on at the swaying stinger disappear into the distance. In a few minutes, the scorpion was back with a spider and a wasp. “Hey buddy hope you are having a good day”, buzzed the wasp. “So you should know that this scorpion is a new man now. I know his reputation is not so good but he really has changed now. While I wouldn’t say something like this about my spider friend here, I have full confidence in scorpion’s ability to not sting people.” The spider smiled and said, “Wasp is right. You should assist this scorpion here. I don’t know how scorpion does it. He has told us that he hasn’t stung anyone in almost a month. Me, I can’t do without biting something at least once in two days. Just yesterday, I bit a frog much like you while he was taking a nap.”

The veiled threat was not lost on the frog. But he did not grow up to be what he was today, by being a coward. He looked the spider in the eye and said, “How can I take the word of all you mud-dwelling insects at face value? After all, you are his best friends and would always support him. I just have a bad feeling about the whole venture. I am not going to ferry the scorpion across.” Scorpion stopped the spider from saying anything more. He told the frog, “Dear friend, you shall realize that I am a good man. I will come tomorrow and try to convince you that I am a changed person”. And the trio walked away from the frog. Well, two of them walked and one flew.

Frog was uneasy throughout the day afterwards. Could it be true that the scorpion is a changed man? Was it ok that he judged the scorpion just because of his tail? What if the work which scorpion had was something really important? Maybe he was being too stubborn and self centered by not helping the scorpion.  Rest of the day passed without further incident.

The frog woke up the next day and was getting on with his work. He looked out, hearing the sound of wings. The stork was flapping its wings and was waiting right outside where the frog stayed. Now, the stork was a respected creature of the area. Stork spent most of his time in meditation and was considered to be a learned man with experience in all aspects of living. On seeing such an important person outside his dwelling, the frog rushed to meet the unexpected visitor. Alas! Right besides the stork was the scorpion with a sly smile.

“I hear that you are denying to help this poor scorpion”, said the stork. “Child, don’t you know that our life is meant to be in service of others? Besides, this whole lake community works because everyone cooperates with everyone else. It is very cruel of you to deny this fine scorpion this small help.” The frog felt guilty after hearing this. He said, “Mr. Stork, as much as I want to help the scorpion, I am just apprehensive that he would sting me while I am in the water. Wont that be a big risk for me to take?” The stork flapped his wings in exasperation, “Child, you are making no sense. Think logically. Why would the scorpion ever sting you? Besides if my knowledge serves me right, the scorpion has stopped with the whole stinging business. I have this on good authority. As a learned man, I would say it is your duty to help the scorpion. It makes no sense to not do it!” At this point the Scorpion started speaking, “Dear friend, this is a time I really need you. You are the only person who can help me. I’ve got everyone to vouch for me. Please have mercy. Please help me cross.”

The frog was left with no options now. What the scorpion said made sense. Logically speaking there was no grounds for him to deny the scorpion’s request. Besides, the scorpion also had the support of the learned stork. What would the rest of the lake say about the frog if he didn’t help a man in need? And above all, the frog was innately a good person. He genuinely wanted to be of assistance to others when he could. The frog decided to help the scorpion.

Scorpion was ecstatic upon hearing this. The stork flew away with a satisfied ruffle of his head. The frog and the scorpion walked towards the banks of the lake. The frog said, “Ok Scorpion I will take you across on my back. I am taking your word that you will not harm me. Remember that amongst us, only I can swim.” Scorpion smiled and said. “Dear friend, I know”. In a much lower tone the scorpion added as an afterthought, “Scorpions do float on water though, even if we don’t swim.”

The frog and the scorpion started their journey. From the moment they touched the water, the frog was turning back and looking at the scorpion. But the scorpion had a nonchalant expression on his face. Frog kept turning back and looking at the scorpion, every few minutes. But the scorpion showed no signs of aggression. After travelling about a quarter of the distance, the frog turned and looked at the scorpion one last time. The scorpion was sitting coolly, lost in thought. “I was wrong to judge this creature so harshly in the beginning. He is a changed man after all”, thought the frog.

The duo kept going slowly forward. The frog was extra careful to make sure that the journey was not a rough one on the scorpion. They kept moving into the deeper parts of the lake. As they reached the center of the lake, the frog suddenly felt a searing pain. On turning back, he saw the scorpion’s stinger right on his back. The frog couldn’t believe his eyes. How could this be happening! Numbness started emanating from the point where the stinger had pierced the frog. He knew that he would soon lose consciousness and he would sink helplessly to the lake floor. 

With his last ounce of strength the frog croaked to the scorpion, “Why? Why did you do this? Why did you doom us both?” The scorpion, with a slightly amused expression, looked the frog in the eye and said, “Dear friend… I am, after all, a scorpion. It is in my NATURE to sting people. How can you blame me for being true to my nature? “

These were the last words heard by the frog as he slowly lost consciousness and sank deeper and deeper into the abyss.

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Remember that no one can change their basic NATURE. Nature is decided by nurture at a young age. Once a person’s nature is set, it is almost impossible to alter it. People can fake emotions, fake sincerity, fake approval and fake righteousness. But ultimately, when push comes to shove, everyone acts according to their basic nature.

PostScript: I’ve read the story of the frog and the scorpion a long time ago, either in the Aesop fables or in the Panchatantra collections, can’t recall the exact source. However, in my opinion, the story remains relevant to this day.