Europe and Islam

 

A scorpion was walking along the bank of a river, wondering how to get to the other side. Suddenly, he saw a frog getting ready to swim across.

"Excuse me, Mr. Frog," called the scorpion. "Would you be so kind as to give me a ride on your back across the river? I need to get to the other side."

The frog looked at the scorpion with suspicion. "How do I know you won't sting me?" he asked. "If you do, I'll be paralyzed, and we'll both drown."

The scorpion replied, "That would be illogical. If I sting you, you will die, and then I will drown. It makes no sense for me to do that. You have my word; I will not sting you."

The frog thought about it. The scorpion's logic seemed sound. It really wouldn't make any sense for him to sting him. So, he agreed. "Alright, hop on."

The scorpion climbed onto the frog's back, and the frog pushed off from the bank and began to swim across the wide river.

The journey was going smoothly. They were about halfway across when the frog suddenly felt a sharp, searing pain in his back. He looked back in horror to see the scorpion pulling his stinger out.

As the poison began to take effect, the frog's legs grew numb and weak. He started to sink beneath the surface of the water.

With his last breath, the frog cried out, "Why? Why did you do it? You promised! Now we will both die!"

The scorpion, as he too began to slip beneath the water, replied calmly, "I couldn't help it. It's in my nature."

And they both drowned.