THE OLD MAN AND THE SCORPION

Once there was a very old man who used to meditate early every morning
under a large tree on the bank of the Ganges River in India. One morning, having
finished his meditation, the old man opened his eyes and saw a scorpion floating
helplessly in the string current of the river. As the scorpion pulled closer to the tree, it
got caught in the roots that branched out far into the river. The scorpion struggled
frantically to pull itself but got more entangled in the complex network of the tree
roots.
When the old man saw this, he immediately stretched himself into the
extended roots and reached out to rescue the drowning scorpion. But as soon as he
touched it, the animal jerked and stung him wildly. Instinctively, the old man withdraw
his hand, but then, after having regained his balance, he once aging stretched
himself out along the roots to save the agonized scorpion. But every time old man
came within the reach, the scorpion stung him so badly with its poisonous tail that his
hands became swollen and bloody and his face distorted by pain.
At that moment a passer-by saw the old man stretched on the roots struggling
with the scorpion and shouted, “Hey, stupid old man, what is wrong with you?” Only
fools risks his life for such an ugly, useless creature. Don’t you know you may kill
yourself trying to save that ungrateful animal?”
Slowly, the old man turned his head and looking calmly at the stranger’s eyes,
he said: “Friend because it is the nature of the scorpion to sting, why should I give up
my own nature to save?”
Source: Benigno P. Beltran, SVD, Journey Into Solitude (Manila: Arnoulds Inc.,
1986), p. 285.
 VISAYAS STATE UNIVERSITY
INTEGRATED HIGH SCHOOL
VISAYAS STATE UNIVERSITY
VISCA, BAYBAY CITY, LEYTE

Case Study # 2: THE OLD MAN AND THE SCORPION

Kyla Hazel M. Nuñez

12 - ABM
 INTRODUCTION
POINT OF VIEW:
We'll study this brief story from the perspective of the reader, or the third
person. The reader's point of view is employed since they are aware of the major
story points yet have no direct impact on them. Readers can infer the character's
emotions and thoughts.
DEFINITION OF THE PROBLEM:
The short story focuses on the effects of a person's actions. Anything a
person does, even if it is for the benefit of others, might cause them harm. Another
moral quandary posed for readers in this short story is whether to aid someone else
even if doing so can harm oneself.
OBJECTIVES
The purpose of this short narrative is to illustrate how decisions one makes
have an impact, whether those effects are positive or negative. Our actions could be
successful, but they also could backfire. It also aims to illustrate how important it is to
understand and think through a situation before acting.
RELEVANT CASE FACTS
 On the bank of the Ganges River in India, an elderly man practices meditation
every morning under a big tree.
 The elderly guy observed a scorpion floating helplessly in the river's strong
current.
 The scorpion tried to escape the intricate root system after becoming
entangled in roots that extended far into the river.
 The elderly man did not think twice when he saw the suffering scorpion and
immediately reached out to save it.
 The scorpion instinctively stung the old man's hand as a sort of defense when
it came in contact with it.
ALTERNATIVE CASES OF ACTIONS
 After being stung, the elderly guy may have decided to seek assistance from
others to deal with the scorpion. He could have asked the neighbors for
assistance, which would have secured both his security and the scorpion's
removal.

RECOMMENDATIONS
The elderly man needs to reconsider his style of thinking by first evaluating the
circumstances and considering the benefits and drawbacks of each choice he takes.
 1. Relate this short story to our discussion.
In the tale, the old guy did not think twice to reach out and assist the scorpion
when he observed it fighting to remain afloat and drowning. The scorpion represents
those who take advantage of those who do good deeds and serve the public to put
themselves in a favorable position, the wise old man represents the businesses and
institutions that practice corporate social responsibility, and the remarks of the
passerby represent the judgment and criticism the businesses must endure simply
because the business wants to assist the general public.
The narrative demonstrates that the elderly man's actions were free of coercion
and that he persisted in trying to save the scorpion. Even though he was aware that
the scorpion would bite him, he stuck to his beliefs and principles. On the other hand,
it also tells us that companies who engage in CSR will always face their own
inherent risks and difficulties.