The Scorpion and The Saint

One day a saint was taking a bath in a river. His disciple sat on the banks of the river taking care of his things.The saint watched a scorpion drowning in the river. Being kind, he lifted the scorpion by a leaf and started walking towards the bank.

As soon as the scorpion recovered, he stung the saint on the palm. The saint felt an burning pain up in his arm, but he did not drop the scorpion. Instead, he gently shook his hand to keep the scorpion away from the wound.

The saint's disciple was watching this from the banks, but did not say anything.

The saint had only taken a few more steps when the scorpion stung him again. A soaring pain more intense than the first one went all the way up his arm.The saint lost its balance.

This time, the disciple became impatient and call out. "Put him down, teacher, he will only sting you again. Your kindness is of no value to such a creature. He will learn nothing from it. Leave him to his fate."

The saint continued walking. He nearly reached the bank when the scorpion sting him again for a third time.  The saint almost fainted . But,there was a smile on his face  The saint's collapsed in the river. The disciple carried the saint to the banks, but the sanit was still smiling and still carrying the  the scorpion on the leaf in his palm. As soon as they had reached bank, the scorpion crawled away as quickly as it could.

After the saint had regained consciousness. the disciple asked  "How can you smile? That scorpion nearly killed you."

"You are right, my son," said the saint. "But he was only following his nature. It is the nature of a scorpion to sting, and it is the nature of a saint to save life. He is following his nature and I am following mine. If he cannot change his nature being an animal, How can being a saint , I can change my nature. That is why I am so happy."