The boy and the rattlesnake, this is what to do if you see a rattlesnake, no on second thought don't do this

I was told a story a long time ago, I don't remember where I heard it or if someone told me the story of "The Native American Boy and the Rattlesnake." I awoke this morning thinking about some of the issues that we as a country are facing and this story came across my mind. As it was told to me, maybe you have heard this story as well it has been around for ever.

The first nights campfire, it was still warm at that time.

  The little boy was 12 years old, at 13 years he would become and adult, full grown man, first they were often told that they had to survive in the wilderness alone for a length of time, sometimes days and sometimes years. This particular boy was told to live on his wilderness survival skills for 3 days, not a long time, but it was not known how the elders chose the length of time a young boy needed to prove he could live on his wilderness survival skills. (A link explaining the Sioux ceremony.) He was told to hike to the top of a particular mountain in clear view of the where the village was at this point in time, in a beautiful valley bathed in the light of the early spring. The snow has melted, a little early, but it provided abundant water and the wildlife was exploding in life, it was a wonderful spring. The promise of a fruitful summer was clearly on the horizon. The boy put together his survival kit, an over the shoulder leather pouch large enough to carry all of his needed supplies, tools, food, water and warm clothing, the winter may return. He had his bow and quiver of arrows, the working knife his grandfather helped him make and the beads around his neck his grandmother gave him for luck. There was much pride amongst his family as he sprinted down the footpath into the trees and began up the steep slope that would continue for many miles. It would take the boy one full day from morning until the sun went down plus until noon the next to complete the journey to the top of the highest mountain in view. He would trot ten steps and walk ten steps, he and his father would travel in that manner when they were in the woods traveling. He went up and down hills and canyons, over rocks and creeks stopping only to eat and drink water, he was in a hurry to get to his destination.

That's where he was heading, the one on the left.

Noon on the second day he arrived at what would become his temporary camp, it was on top of the mountain as high as he could go, the place where the tops of majestic trees were blown away by lightning and the sign of heavy rain and snow were etched on the rocks and dirt canyon walls. He constructed a small lean too shelter and arraigned all of his belongings inside, his small amount of food was hung from a tree branch high enough to deter animals from enjoying a free meal. (How to build a shelter.) He then got down to business, for the next three days he was in a state of meditation, and memory of what he was taught to survive the wilderness alone. For he was truly alone, there was predicatively no one else any where close to where he was at the moment or will be until he has returned to the village. The last day arrived, time always goes faster than what any of us have ever imagined, it was time to pack up. He opened his eyes to a layer of snow on the ground 6 inches deep, his fire was smoldering almost out, the first task he took on was to gather a few pieces of fire wood. He returned to the fire with the wood, he bent down to begin to add it to the fire when he saw a snake curled up close to the warm earth. It was a rattlesnake, now he knew what to do if you see a rattlesnake in normal conditions, he thought this one was dead, until he heard a weak voice "help me, please." The boy looked around, no one was around, again he heard "help me please." The sound was coming from the rattlesnake, "I am dying, and surely will if you do not save me." The snake said, "I will freeze to death in this snow."

I am so different than those other guy's, believe me.

  "But you are a rattlesnake and I am afraid that by the size of your rattlesnake rattle you are big and powerful, your bite will surely kill me." The boy replied.
  "I am an honorable snake," the rattler replied adding "I promise if you place me under the big warm coat you are wearing and take me to the meadow below, I will not harm you." the serpent replied in a soft sing song voice, "I promise." he added. (treat snake bites.)
  The boy picked the snake up and placed him around his waist under his warm furry coat for the trip back down the mountain to where it was warm and the boy's village was. The boy would talk to the snake under his coat, the only reply he would recieve would be from the snake "I cannot hear you under this nice warm coat, perhaps we should not talk."
  The boy was OK with silence, after all what is there to say to a snake? They arrived at a spot to spend the night and the boy started a roaring fire, mainly to get the snake out from under his clothing so he could lay down and sleep, there was still snow on the ground and more on the way. The next morning the boy awoke and wrapped the large snake around his waist once again for the final leg of their trip. He would have liked to return to the village with the story of making friends with the rattler but the snake was not friendly at all. After hiking for several hours he was within a mile of the village, the sun was shining and the temperature was warm, just right to finally be rid of his companion.
  "I will let you on the ground right here, by this log and rock where you can find safety by going under them and you can warm in the sun." the boy said. He uncurled the snake from his waist, he was big and heavy, it would be good not to have to carry him any longer. The boy gently set the snake on the warm soil when he heard the rattlesnake rattle, lightning fast he was bitten by the underhanded con man, struck on the shin.
  "You said you would not bite me when we got here and I let you free." the boy said "you lied to me, you are dishonest." (Honesty explained here.)
  "You knew what I was when you picked me up," was the snakes reply "You assumed I was different than what you learned in your survival lessons, you were wrong."
 

They are OK when left alone, do not trust them. 

A lesson for today, not only for surviving in the wildness however surviving in the urban jungle as well. I have thought of this story many times over the past years, it has saved me from making some bad mistakes with people especially, animals sometimes. It is a good survival story, a really good lesson as well as food for thought. You knew what I was when you picked me up, it's like picking up a salt shaker in a restaurant before shaking it on my food I check to make sure the lids on tight, how many people do that? A lot I think, we've been conditioned by generations of pranksters. Left turn signal on and turn right? I have never though that was intentional, but it does happen and we are on guard for it. I know when I jump in the river there are sea lions, crabs, fish and other wild life swimming around in there as well, we accept the that as fact. You knew what I was when you picked me up, yes I did. (Truthfulness here.)
  The story in any version ends there, we don't find out if the boy lived, if he killed the snake (short sighted wouldn't you say?) we don't have an ending. After all why would a rational being commit a horrendous act like a rattlesnake bite with a clear chance of being killed immediately after that? A threat to do harm and know your own demise will be immediate, it does not make sense to me. So why did the boy help the snake? Human compassion, plain and simple, a bigger question is why did the snake bite him?
  Thanks for reading and yes this is a political parody, I do not comment, blog or discuss politics or religion, I don't do well with either. Leave a comment, tell me what you think or leave a suggestion or recall an encounter you've had.

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