One day, a scorpion decided that he wanted a change. So he set out on a journey. Down from his rocky mountain he went, crawling through forests over hills he travelled until he reached a river. The water was swift and the river was too wide to jump and too deep to ford so the scorpion, who could not neither fly nor swim, was compelled to stop and contemplate his predicament. Unable to see a way across the river, the scorpion searched up stream and down hoping to find a fallen tree that might serve as a bridge. The scorpions search was unsuccessful. Unable to find a way to cross the river, the scorpion had all but decided his journey was over and that he might have to turn back and return to the mountain. Then the scorpion spotted a frog sitting in cattails along the opposite bank of the river. He decided to ask the frog for help in crossing the stream. The scorpion shouted out across the water "Hellooo there Mr. Frog!" Are you a good swimmer? The frog replied that of course he was! At which the scorpion made his proposal. "In that case then Mr. Frog, would you be so kind ferry me on your back across the river?" Knowing that scorpions had a bad reputation, the frog responded. "Well now, Mr. Scorpion, How do I know that if I carry you to the opposite bank of the river that you wont try to kill me?" Because, the scorpion replied, "If I try to kill you, then I would surely die as well, for you see I cannot swim!" Now that logic seemed to make sense to the frog. But still cautious, he asked the scorpion. "What about when I get close to the bank? You could still try to kill me and get back to the shore" "This is true," agreed the scorpion, "But then I wouldn't be able to get to the other side of the river" "Alright then ...but how do I know you won’t just wait until we get close to the other side and then kill me?" asked the still skeptical frog. "Ahh...," crooned the scorpion, "Because you see, once you've taken me to the other side of this river, I will be so very grateful for your help that it would unfair to reward your service in that cruel way" So the frog finally agreed to take the scorpion across the river. He swam over to the bank and picked up his passenger. The scorpion crawled onto the frog's back digging his claws into the frog's soft skin and clinging on for dear life. The frog slid out into the current and began the swim across the river. The water swirled around them, but the frog stayed near the surface and the scorpion clung on tightly so he would not drown. The frog kicked steadily across the strong current but then halfway across the river, the frog suddenly felt a sharp pain in his back and turning to see what it was, out of the corner of his eye, the frog saw the scorpion remove his stinger. A cold numbness began to creep into his limbs and the frog, still carrying the scorpion, stopped swimming began to slip below the river’s surface. "You fool!" croaked the frog, “What have you done, now we shall both die! Why on earth did you sting me?" The scorpion gave a little shrug and as they both sank below the turbulent water he replied. "I could not help myself. It is my nature."