"You become responsible forever for what you have tamed." - Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
One warm summer day, a wise tortoise met a young hare who seemed to be in a great hurry. The hare told him: "Would you like to be my friend? Come with me. Let's travel together and go on a great adventure." The tortoise, a bit surprised at such enthusiasm, only hesitated for a moment before answering in good faith: "Sure, with pleasure!"
The new friends set out on a ship towards far away lands. They arrived on an enchanted island where they met a fairy. "What beauty!" said the tortoise. "Quickly" said the hare, "we must still live many other adventures."
They arrived in a great city on a second island where they visited some very important people. "What a fascinating adventure" said the tortoise. "Quickly, quickly!" said the hare, "we must still live some new experiences."Arrived on a third island, they went up a great mountain where there was a magnificent view on the whole region. As they admired the splendid scenery, the tortoise said to the hare: "It's beautiful to be here with you. You know, I like you a lot." The hare answered: "Quickly, quickly! We must still live many adventures."
The tortoise and the hare embarked on the ship and set out towards their country. As they approached the coast, the hare silently went down into the ship's hold. Suddenly, the tortoise heard "boom! crack!" He looked down into the hold and saw the hare with an ax, cutting a great hole in the bottom of the boat. The ship was taking in water and was beginning to sink. "What are you doing?" cried out the tortoise, "we're going to perish!"
Taken by panic, the tortoise jumped into the lifeboat and began to flee for his life. But he soon became remorseful: "I can't let my friend drown." The tortoise turned around and headed back towards the distressed ship. He climbed back on the deck and asked the hare: "Why did you sabotage the ship!?"
Without saying a word, the hare jumped on the lifeboat and took off, leaving the tortoise on the condemned ship. In desperation, the tortoise cried out: "But why are you letting me perish? Come back and get me!"As the hare was moving away from the sinking ship and the perishing tortoise, she answered: "We have shared some meaningful conversations and adventures together! Please don't tell this story to anyone! It could hurt my reputation, and I still have many other adventures to live!"
In life, many people use others for the sake of their own experiences and adventures. We must be prudent before entrusting ourselves to those who ask for our friendship. And we must search our hearts and be careful to love others without using them for the sake of our own interests and ambitions.
