A turtle, standing on the shore of a lake, was readying himself to cross. Just then a scorpion approached and begged, “I need to get across the lake—please let me hitch a ride on your back.”
Horrified, the turtle replied, “Are you crazy, you’re my mortal enemy! if I do that you’ll sting me, and I will die!”
“Think about it,” replied the scorpion. “If I sting you, you’ll sink, with me on your back—I’d drown and die too. Does it make sense that I would sting you?”
“Good point,” said the turtle. “Okay, get on my back, and I’ll take you across.”
The scorpion immediately hopped on, and the turtle swam out into the lake. But about halfway across, suddenly and without warning, the scorpion lashed out, and stung the turtle.
“How could you do such a stupid thing?” cried the turtle. “Now we will both die!”
“Alas,” the scorpion confessed, “I know, but I just couldn’t help myself. It’s my nature.”