Two men, deadly enemies to each other, found themselves sailing in the same vessel. Determined to keep as far apart as possible, one man seated himself in the stern, while the other took his place in the prow of the ship.
As fate would have it, a violent storm arose, putting the vessel in great danger of sinking. In a moment of desperation, the man in the stern inquired of the pilot which end of the ship would likely go down first. The pilot, assessing the situation, replied that he suspected it would be the prow.
Upon hearing this, the man in the stern responded with a chilling sentiment: "Death would not be grievous to me, if I could only see my enemy die before me."
The moral
Hatred can blind us to the greater dangers we face together, leading us to prioritize personal vendettas over survival.
Discussion questions
- What does the story suggest about the consequences of allowing hatred to dictate our actions?
- How might the outcome change if the two men had chosen to work together during the storm?
- Can you think of a real-life situation where animosity prevented people from achieving a common goal?
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Read it in another language
- الرجلان اللذان كانا عدوين. · العربية
- Die zwei Männer, die Feinde waren. · Deutsch
- Los dos hombres que eran enemigos. · Español
- دو مردی که دشمن یکدیگر بودند. · فارسی
- Les deux hommes qui étaient ennemis. · Français
- दो आदमी जो दुश्मन थे। · हिन्दी
- I due uomini che erano nemici. · Italiano
- Os Dois Homens Que Eram Inimigos · Português
- Два человека, которые были врагами. · Русский
- ఇద్దరు శత్రువులైన మనుషులు. · తెలుగు
- Ang Dalawang Lalaking Magkaaway. · Tagalog
- Двоє чоловіків, які були ворогами. · Українська
- 那两个曾是敌人的人。 · 中文
Good night.
Tomorrow night: The Fox and the Crane
