Once, a wise monk had 500 followers. One of them loved pets so much that he even adopted a poisonous snake and kept it in a bamboo cage. The followers named the snake ‘Bamboo’ and the pet lover was called Bamboo’s father. When the monk came to know about his pet, he advised Bamboo’s father that it was not safe to live with a poisonous snake. “This little one will be the death of you,” he said. However, Bamboo’s father was confident that the snake would not harm him. One day, all the followers went on a trip to collect fruits. They returned after several days. Bamboo’s father was worried, ‘No one has fed Bamboo for so many days; it must be hungry!’ Thus, he opened the cage to let Bamboo out and find food. Bamboo, who was terribly hungry by this time, bit its owner in anger. Within minutes, Bamboo’s father died.
Moral: Beware of a creature’s true nature.
