It is my nature
It had been raining cats and dogs and the whole area was slushy and wet. Looking up the scorpion saw the distant rocky hills and wished very much to be there, much more healthy and congenial place for him to be.
The river was in floods and there was no way he could cross it to reach the dry mountain. Then to his good fortune he saw a very happy bullfrog crocking his heart out. The scorpion, with all humility, requested the frog to carry him across the river on his back. But the bullfrog outright refused to oblige. He said, “I know your kind. If I carry you on my back, you sure will sting me.”
“No, not at all,” protested the scorpion. “Not only I will not harm you, but I will ever be indebted to you”.
After much persuasion, the frog agreed to help the scorpion and began swimming across the river with the scorpion on its back. As they reached half way the flaw of the river became very strong, and all the shaking caused by the flow irritated the scorpion and it stung the frog.
As both of them lay side by side at the bottom of the river dying, one on account of poison and the other because of drowning, the frog complained, “Why did you do it. You had promised gratitude and loyalty.”
“You should know,” replied the scorpion, “it is not a question of gratitude or loyalty. It is my nature.”
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Unlike the scorpion, if we are deceitful or ungrateful, we have no excuse, as it is not because of our inborn nature, but due to the nature we ourselves have acquired and developed.