Christian Library | Full Free Coptic Books | Orthodox Library

Short Stories (Stories for the Youth), book by Father Tadros Yacoub Malaty

453- The Head and the Tail

 

St-Takla.org Image: Snake, serpent with a book: "So the Lord God said to the serpent: “Because you have done this, you are cursed more than all cattle, and more than every beast of the field; On your belly you shall go, and you shall eat dust all the days of your life. And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel” (Genesis 3: 14,15) صورة في موقع الأنبا تكلا: ثعبان، حية مع كتاب: الوعد الكتابي "فقال الرب الإله للحية: «لأنك فعلت هذا، ملعونة أنت من جميع البهائم ومن جميع وحوش البرية. على بطنك تسعين وترابا تأكلين كل أيام حياتك. وأضع عداوة بينك وبين المرأة، وبين نسلك ونسلها. هو يسحق رأسك، وأنت تسحقين عقبه»" (التكوين 3: 14، 15)

The tail of a serpent revolted furiously against its head saying, “Why do you, the head, hold the center for leadership and I always have to follow you? I know that for a horse a tail’s place is always in the back because of the size difference between its head and tail. On the contrary, I’m a very long tail while you’re a very small head. I’ll take over the leadership and you’ll follow me.”

The head was silent for a while then said, “You may take over the position of leadership for, what do I benefit from this position? It’ll lift away from me the burdens of responsibility, and I’ll be at rest.”

Indeed the head left for the tail its leadership role. The tail started moving in pride, as it became the leader. Since it carried no eyes it fell in a pond full of thorny herbs, and the tail as well as the head felt the deep wounds.

The poor serpent asked, “I wonder if the tail or the head is responsible for this disaster!”

They were both mistaken for they both complained and refused to remain in their positions. The head ought to remain a leader and the tail a follower. This way they can work harmoniously.

→ English translation of the story here at St-Takla.org: الرأس والذيل.

“For in fact the body is not one member but many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear should say “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing where would be the smelling? But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased” (1 Cor. 12.14-18).

---