The snake and the lizard
Once upon a time, a snake and a lizard met. Catching up on what had happened since they last saw each other, they began to argue about what really kills: the snake’s venom or the fear of being bitten by a snake.
They couldn’t agree, so they decided to conduct an experiment. They found a busy road and hid, waiting for someone to pass by. When the first man appeared, the snake came out onto the road just as he was passing by and bit him, then quickly hid, and the lizard took its place.
The man felt the bite and, frightened, looked around to see what had bitten him. When he saw the lizard, he calmed down and said, – It’s just a lizard. – And he continued on his way, as if nothing had happened.
The snake and the lizard hid again to wait for the next person, and shortly afterwards another man approached. This time, it was the lizard that bit the man and quickly hid to make way for the snake.
The man, frightened by the bite, looked around for the animal that had just attacked him and, with great terror, found the snake. – A snake bit me! – he exclaimed, terrified. The man then fell down dead from the shock.
The snake and the lizard finally came to the conclusion that it is fear, not poison, that truly kills. Knowing this, they were both able to continue on their way.
