
A Snake swallowing a frog head-first was approached by a Naturalist with a stick.
"Ah, my deliverer," said the Snake as well as he could, "you have arrived just in time; this reptile, you see, is pitching into me without provocation."
"Sir," replied the Naturalist, "I need a snakeskin for my collection, but if you had not explained I should not have interrupted you, for I thought you were at dinner."
What is he mocking?
Predators who call their victims the aggressors, and rescuers who act only for their own gain.
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Discussion questions
- What were the Snake's motivations for deceiving the Naturalist?
- How might the story change if told from the Frog's perspective?
- Can you think of a real-life situation where appearances were misleading?
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