Today’s Thinking Out Loud reflection is on Aesop’s Fable, The Farmer and the Fox. Aesop’s Fables is available for free download here.
The Fable
“A Farmer was greatly annoyed by a Fox, which came prowling about
his yard at night and carried off his fowls. So he set a trap for
him and caught him; and in order to be revenged upon him, he tied a
bunch of tow to his tail and set fire to it and let him go. As
ill-luck would have it, however, the Fox made straight for the
fields where the corn was standing ripe and ready for cutting. It
quickly caught fire and was all burnt up, and the Farmer lost all
his harvest.”
Note: Getting even is a strategy that hurts the person seeking revenge as much as it hurts the person on the receiving end of the revenge seeker’s anger. Holding on to past hurts creates a field where resentments fester and often spill over into harmful actions. The field produces an array of harmful emotions and physical problems. Letting go of past hurts and resentments leads to a more peaceful and happy life.