The Farmer and the Snake 農夫與蛇
ONE WINTER a Farmer found a Snake stiff andfrozen with cold. He had compassion on it, and taking it up, placedit in his bosom. The Snake was quickly revived by the warmth, andresuming its natural instincts, bit its benefactor, inflicting onhim a mortal wound. "Oh," cried the Farmer with his lastbreath, "I am rightly served for pitying a scoundrel."
The greatest kindness will not bind the ungrateful.
冬天,農夫發現一條蛇凍僵了,他很可憐它,便把蛇放在自己懷裡。蛇溫暖後,蘇醒了過來,恢復了它的本性,咬了它的恩人一口,使他受到了致命的傷害。農夫臨死前說:“我該死,我憐憫惡人,應該受惡報。”
這故事說明,即使對惡人仁至義盡,他們的邪惡本性也是不會改變的。