No Use of Force

29/02/2012
Fr. Jose Kaimlett

No Use of Force

A snake had bitten so many people that hardly anyone dared to go out into the fields. People told the master about it and his power was so great that he convinced the snake to give up the use of force.

The villagers soon noticed that the snake had become harmless and so they began to throw stones at it and pull its tail

One night the abused snake slithered into the master’s house to complain. The master told him “My friend, you don’t frighten people anymore, and that is bad.”

“But you taught me not to use force … ”

“What I told you was that you were to stop biting people, not that you were to stop hissing.”

_ Anthony de Mello
………..

There is a Malayalam saying, “kuniyunnonu oru idium kuude” which means if you bent they will hit you on your back. Probably that is what prompted the Romans to say, “Si vole pacem, prepara bellum,” – if you desire peace, get ready for war. When you are strong no body fools with you.

Leave a comment