The Scorpion and the Frog

Thought this was interesting...

One day a scorpion was walking along the riverbank trying to find a way to get across the river that separated him from his desired location when he came across a frog sitting alongside the riverbank.

The scorpion walked up to the frog and asked the frog if he would take him across the river. The frog quickly replied, "No, I would not give you a ride." The scorpion then asked him why. The frog replied, "Because Mr. Scorpion if I gave you a ride on my back you would sting
me and I would drown." Quickly the scorpion replied, "But Mr. Frog, if I stung you then you would drown and if you drown then I would drown also." The frog thought for a moment and then said, "I guess you're right, then I will give you a ride."

The scorpion jumps on the frog's back and they start crossing the river. Half way across the river the frog suddenly feels a sharp pain in his back, as the scorpion stings him. The frog immediately starts to panic as he feels the venom race through his veins and he quickly begins to become paralyzed. Just as he is taking his last breath and about to go down, the frog looks at the scorpion and asks "Why? Now we'll both die!" The scorpion replies, "I'm sorry, it's my nature".

And if any of you are interested in Philosophy and know what the Prisoner's Dilemma is.. here is a good article regarding this story.

http://www.spectacle.org/995/scorp.html