The Farmer and the Snake
Did you know? Snakes don't actually 'freeze solid'!
In the ancient Greek version, the snake lost its ability to move because winter was so cold. But modern science has discovered that snakes are cold-blooded animals—when temperatures drop, they enter a state of dormancy, not a true 'freeze.' Also, this story may not have originally been about a farmer, but rather the fable of 'The Farmer and the Snake,' used to warn people not to show kindness to enemies.
It was a cold winter. The north wind howled, and thick snow covered the whole countryside. Wearing rough cloth clothes and heavy boots, the farmer walked through the snowy field. Suddenly, he saw a frozen snake in the snow, not moving at all, as if it were dead. The farmer stopped, looked down closely, and thought, 'Poor snake! In this freezing weather, it must be frozen stiff.'
The farmer felt sorry for the snake and couldn't bear to let it freeze to death in the snow. He bent down, carefully picked up the snake, and put it inside his warm coat. The snake's icy body pressed against the farmer's chest, but he wasn't afraid at all—he just wanted to hurry home and get it warm. He quickened his steps toward the small farmhouse nearby, where thin smoke still curled from the roof.
When the farmer got home, he immediately placed the snake by the fireplace. A roaring fire burned in the hearth, giving off waves of warmth. The snake's stiff body slowly began to stir. Its scales started to quiver slightly, and its eyes slowly opened. Seeing the snake come back to life, the farmer smiled with relief and said softly, 'Great, you're finally awake.'
However, when the snake woke up, it felt afraid and defensive by instinct. It raised its head, bared its fangs, and suddenly bit the farmer. The farmer cried out in pain, and two deep fang marks were left on his arm. He looked at the snake in disbelief, but the snake quickly slithered into a corner and stared at him coldly. The farmer, both shocked and in pain, staggered back a few steps and knocked over a chair.
The farmer lay on the ground in terrible pain. His wound burned like fire. He gasped for breath and wished he had never tried to save the snake. He had meant only to be kind, and this was his reward. His heart ached with sorrow and regret. He groaned weakly. His body grew weaker and weaker, and his eyes began to blur. The flames of the fire flickered and faded before him.
With his last breath, the farmer sighed, "I have brought this on myself! I showed mercy to a wicked creature, and it has destroyed me." He closed his eyes, and a tear rolled down his cheek. How he wished he had understood sooner that kindness must be given in the right place. Beside the fire, the snake lay quietly coiled, as if nothing at all had happened. The farmer's hand slowly fell, and he moved no more.
The next day, the neighbors found the farmer lying on the ground, no longer breathing. They saw the snake in the corner and the wound on the farmer's arm, and at once they understood what had happened. Everyone shook their heads and sighed. Someone said, "Alas, he was too kind, and he forgot to protect himself." The neighbors drove the snake away and buried the farmer beside the snowy field. The sad ending weighed heavily on everyone's heart.
The story spread quickly, and the whole village talked about it. Some said the farmer was foolish. Some said the snake was cruel. But more and more people began to wonder: kindness is a good thing, but without wisdom, kindness can bring danger. They talked about how to help a stranger in need while still keeping themselves safe. And so this story became a lesson passed down through the village.
The children gathered together to talk. Xiao Ming said, "If we meet a stranger who needs help, we should first check if they really need help or if they might hurt us." Xiao Hua added, "Right! We can ask a grown-up to help too. We shouldn't go on an adventure all by ourselves." Everyone chattered away, agreeing that kindness is important, but we also need to know how to protect ourselves—not like the farmer in the story.
This story tells us: kindness is a virtue, but it must be guided by wisdom. Just like the farmer who found a frozen snake in the cold winter—his compassion was praiseworthy, but he didn't think about the snake's nature and ended up hurting himself. So, let's remember: before helping others, look carefully at the situation and keep yourself safe. That way, kindness becomes a real power, not a regret.
