Once upon a time, there was a farmer who lived in a small village. One cold winter evening, as he was returning home from his fields, he saw a snake struggling to move on the ground. The snake had a broken back and could not crawl properly.
The farmer, feeling a surge of compassion, decided to help the snake. He picked it up gently and put it in his coat pocket to warm it up. As he continued his walk, he noticed that the snake was starting to move more freely.
The farmer, thinking that the snake was healing, continued on his way. However, as he reached his house, he heard a loud hiss. He looked down and saw that the snake had bitten him. The farmer was shocked and angry, but he still carried the snake inside.
Once inside, the farmer’s wife asked him what had happened. He told her about the snake and how it had bitten him. She was concerned and advised him to take care of the snake, as it might be in pain.
The farmer, feeling guilty, decided to take the snake to a doctor. He wrapped the snake in a cloth and carried it carefully. On the way, the snake bit him again. The farmer, now in pain, still managed to take the snake to the doctor.
The doctor examined the snake and said that it was poisoned by the bite. The farmer was devastated. The doctor then asked the farmer why he had brought the snake to him, even after being bitten. The farmer explained the whole story, including his compassion for the snake.
The doctor, moved by the farmer’s kindness, said, “You have shown great compassion, but you must understand that this snake is a predator and cannot be trusted. It is not your place to interfere with nature.”
The farmer, though hurt by the doctor’s words, realized the truth. He decided to release the snake back into the wild. As he did so, the snake moved away, never to return.
The farmer learned a valuable lesson that day: one must be cautious when showing kindness to others, especially to those who may not deserve it. And so, he lived on, always remembering the story of the snake and the farmer, and the consequences of his actions.
And that is the story of the farmer and the snake.
