I was told this story years ago and, of course, passed it on to my friends and relatives. One friend in particular, who is often called upon to speak to youths, has made it a part of his program.
You've heard of the "rite of passage" that is often referred to as "spirit quest"...where one fasts for four days in order to receive a message in a spiritual way. Well, a young boy was returning from such a rite, high upon a mountain, when he heard a voice low to the ground. "Please help me!" came the pleading voice.."I'm freezing to death up here...won't you please take me down to the warm valley?" The young man, seeing now who was speaking, replied "No. You're a dangerous and poisonous snake. I can't help you." "But please....pleaded the snake...I won't hurt YOU, dont you know. If you don't help me, I shall surely die for it's much too far for me to be able to do it on my own."
The boy pitied the snake so, lifting him carefully, he placed him inside his shirt and down the mountain he went.
Upon arriving in the warm valley, the boy reached into his shirt and was gently placing the snake on the warm grass when the snake bit him a deadly bite on the neck!!
"What's the matter with you!!??..the boy exclaimed as he began to loose consciousness..how could you do that when you promised not to...now I am surely dying...you said you wouldn't bite ME!!!???" The snake quietly and calmly replied
