Tuesday, March 24, 2009

The Two Travelers

Two travelers happened upon one another at an oasis. One rode a camel and the other a donkey. After having unloaded their respective beasts of burden under some shade both men approached each other at the pool of water at the oasis center. Both smiled and greeted each other but could not understand one another’s tongue.


One traveler offered his right hand to shake, as was the custom in his land; and the other offered his left hand, as was the custom in his land. Not only was it in the custom to offer the hand each offered, but it was a sign of disrespect to offer the opposite hand. The offering of different hands greatly offended the travelers and they were soon shouting insults at one another. Before long one traveler pulled out his scimitar and the other his sword. The battle was fierce but brief: both travelers suffered mortal wounds and both died soon thereafter.

The donkey brayed and the camel spit but they both drank side by side at the pool while their masters’ corpses lay in the midday sun.

Tradition, custom, and culture are not all they are cracked up to be—they make men more disparate than camels and asses.

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