The Snake's Shell-Shocked Scandal: A Fable About the Perils of Betrayal

To my little rabbit,

May this fable serve as a reminder to always be mindful of the people we allow into our lives and to always be on guard against those who may seek to deceive us. May you always be wise and cautious in your decisions and choose your friends wisely.

With love,

Mark Randall Havens

December 19, 2022

Chapter I

The birds were happily singing and tending to their nest in the tree when a snake approached, slithering up the trunk. "Good morning, birds," the snake said in a smooth, charming voice. "I see you have a cozy little nest here. I couldn't help but notice that you have a bit of extra space. Do you think you could spare a branch for a poor, homeless snake like me?"

Robin, the mother bird, stepped forward and frowned at the snake. "I'm sorry, Snake, but this is our home. We can't just invite strangers in without knowing more about them."

Bluejay, a newcomer to the tree, fluttered down from a high branch and glared at the snake. "Yeah, and besides, we can't trust you. You're a snake, and snakes are known for being sneaky and manipulative."

Sparrow, the kind-hearted bird, fluttered over to the snake and gently touched her wing to the snake's scales. "Oh, please don't be angry, Snake. I'm sure we can find a way to help you. Maybe we could find another tree nearby where you could build a nest of your own."

The snake hissed and pulled away from Sparrow, baring her fangs. "I don't need your pity, little birds. I can take care of myself. I just want what's rightfully mine, and I'll do whatever it takes to get it."

Robin stepped forward, standing her ground. "We can't just give up our home to someone we don't know and trust. I'm sorry, Snake, but the answer is no."

The snake narrowed her eyes and hissed at the birds before slithering away. "Fine. But I won't forget this. I'll find a way to get what I want, even if it means going through all of you."

As the snake slithered away, the birds watched with a mixture of fear and caution. They knew that the sly and manipulative snake would stop at nothing to get what she wanted, and they would have to be on their guard to protect their home and their young.

###

The snake approached the birds again, her head bowed in submission. "I hope you'll forgive my outburst earlier. I'm just so desperate for a place to call home. I was kicked out of my old home by a group of larger predators, and I've been on the run ever since. I'm willing to do anything to find a safe place to live."

Robin, the mother bird, tilted her head sympathetically. "Oh, that's terrible. No one deserves to be homeless. I think we can make room for you in the tree, but only if you promise to protect us from any dangers that come our way."

The snake nodded eagerly. "Of course, of course. I'll do whatever it takes to keep you safe. You won't regret this, I promise."

Sparrow, the kind-hearted bird, fluttered over to the snake and gently touched her wing to the snake's scales. "Oh, I'm so glad we can help. We should all work together to create a happy and harmonious community. Maybe we can even help you find your own nest to live in."

Bluejay, the newcomer to the tree, scoffed. "I don't know about this. I still don't trust the snake. I don't think we should just blindly accept her promises without knowing more about her."

Robin turned to Bluejay and placed a soothing feather on her shoulder. "I understand your concerns, Bluejay, but I think we should give the snake a chance. She's been through a lot and she just needs a chance to prove herself. We can keep a close eye on her and make sure she's living up to her promises."

And so, the snake settled into her new home in the tree, with the birds keeping a close eye on her. As the snake settled into her new home, she couldn't help but feel a little bit nervous. She knew that she had a lot to prove to the birds, and she hoped she would be able to keep her promise and protect them from any dangers.

###

The snake settled into her new home in the tree, thanking the birds profusely for their kindness. "I can't thank you enough," she said, her voice dripping with sincerity. "I promise I'll do everything in my power to protect you and keep you safe."

The birds nodded, but there was a sense of unease in the air. "We hope you mean that, Snake," Robin said, eyeing the snake carefully. "We're trusting you to keep your promise and protect us. Don't let us down."

"Of course not," the snake said, her eyes shining with innocence. "I would never do anything to hurt you. You're my friends now, and I value your trust."

But as the days passed, the birds couldn't shake the feeling that something was off about the snake. They watched her closely, trying to gauge her true intentions. Was she really the protector she claimed to be, or was she just using their trust to further her own interests?

One day, as the birds were tending to their nest, they overheard the snake talking to herself. "I can't believe those naive birds actually fell for it," she muttered. "I just need to bide my time and wait for the right opportunity to strike. With their protection, I'll be able to take down those larger predators and finally have the home I deserve."

The birds froze, their feathers ruffling in shock. They couldn't believe what they were hearing. The snake had lied to them, using their trust to further her own selfish goals.

Sparrow, her heart breaking, approached the snake. "Is it true?" she asked softly. "Did you lie to us and use our trust for your own gain?"

The snake sneered, her true colors finally showing. "Of course it's true. I'm a snake, remember? We're known for being sneaky and manipulative. I just needed a safe place to hide until I could take down those larger predators. And now, thanks to your foolish trust, I have the perfect opportunity."

The birds were devastated. They had been betrayed by someone they thought was their friend, and their community was in danger. They knew they had to do something to protect themselves and their home.

"We can't just trust the snake blindly," Bluejay said, pacing back and forth on a branch. "We need to keep a close eye on her and make sure she's living up to her promises."

"Bluejay's right," Robin agreed, ruffling her feathers. "We can't let our guard down. We need to come up with a plan to protect ourselves and our community."

Sparrow fluttered over and perched on Robin's shoulder. "Maybe we can try talking to her, trying to understand where she's coming from. She's had a rough time and she's just looking for a place to call home."

"I don't know, Sparrow," Bluejay said, shaking her head. "I still don't trust her. She's a snake, after all. They can't be trusted."

Robin sighed. "I understand your concerns, Bluejay, but I think we should give her a chance. We can't just turn our backs on someone in need. We need to work together and find a way to make this work."

And so, the birds decided to keep a close eye on the snake and try to find a way to coexist peacefully.

Chapter II

The snake had been living in the tree with the birds for a while, and to the birds' surprise, she seemed to be keeping her promise of protecting them from predators. She warned them of any dangers and helped to chase away intruders.

But despite her efforts, the birds couldn't shake the feeling that something was off about the snake. They knew they couldn't trust her completely, and they had to be on their guard.

One day, as the birds were tending to their nest, the snake approached them with a sly smile on her face. "I have a proposition for you," she said. "I've been thinking, and I think it's time for me to move on from this tree. I've outgrown it, you see. But before I go, I'd like to offer you a deal. If you give me a large sum of seeds, I'll leave peacefully and promise not to come back. What do you say? I know you value your seeds, but think of it as a way to protect yourself from any future harm I might cause. It's a small price to pay for peace of mind, don't you think?

The birds looked at each other, shocked. They knew they couldn't just give in to the snake's demands, but they also didn't want to leave themselves vulnerable to danger. They had to find a way to protect themselves and their community, while also staying true to their values.

The birds huddled together, trying to come up with a plan to stop the snake and protect their community.

"We can't just let her get away with this," Robin said, her feathers ruffled in anger. "She's already shown that she can't be trusted. We have to do something before she hurts someone else."

Sparrow nodded, her eyes filled with worry. "But what can we do? She's so much stronger and faster than us. How can we possibly stop her?"

Bluejay cocked her head to the side, a sly grin spreading across her beak. "We outsmart her, of course. She may be strong, but she's not exactly the brightest. If we can trick her into thinking we're on her side, maybe we can catch her off guard and take her down."

Robin nodded, a glimmer of hope lighting up her eyes. "That's a good idea, Bluejay. We'll have to be careful, but I think it's worth a try. We can't just sit back and do nothing while she terrorizes our community."

The birds nodded in agreement, determined to put an end to the snake's reign of terror once and for all.

###

The birds were still trying to come up with a plan to stop the snake from taking advantage of them when they started to notice that their eggs and young were disappearing. At first, they couldn't believe that the snake would betray their trust, but as the evidence mounted, they couldn't ignore it any longer.

"What's going on here, snake?" Robin asked, her voice shaking with anger. "We trusted you to protect us, and now our eggs and young are disappearing. Are you behind this?"

The snake looked indignant. "I would never do something like that," she said, her forked tongue flickering in annoyance. "I'm offended that you would even suggest it. I've kept my promise to protect you, and I'm not about to start stealing from you now."

The birds looked at each other, torn. They didn't want to believe that the snake would betray their trust, but they couldn't ignore the evidence. They decided to give her the benefit of the doubt, but they started to keep a closer eye on her.

The birds gathered around their nest, their feathers ruffled and their eyes wide with fear. "We have to do something about this," said the blue jay, her voice shaking. "We can't just let the thief get away with stealing our eggs and young."

"But who could it be?" asked the sparrow, her wings trembling. "It could be anyone in the community. How are we supposed to catch them?"

"We have to start by narrowing down the suspects," said the robin, his beak set in a determined line. "Who had the opportunity to steal the eggs and young?"

The birds began to brainstorm, tossing out names and theories. The snake listened quietly, her heart racing. She knew she was the thief, but she couldn't let the birds find out. She had to find a way to throw them off the trail and protect herself.

###

Sparrow flew into the nest, panting and out of breath. "Robin! Bluejay! You won't believe what just happened! The eggs in my nest are missing, and two of my young are gone as well!"

Robin's feathers ruffled in alarm. "What? That's terrible! We have to find them immediately."

Bluejay narrowed her eyes at the snake, who was coiled in a corner of the nest. "I bet it was her. I just know it. She's been acting suspicious lately."

The snake hissed and bared her fangs. "How dare you accuse me of such a thing! I would never harm the young birds. I'm a part of this community now, and I would never betray your trust."

Robin held up a calming feather. "Calm down, everyone. We don't know what happened yet. Let's not jump to any conclusions."

Sparrow fluttered over to the snake and gently touched her wing to the snake's scales. "Please, Snake, if you have any information that can help us find my missing eggs and young, it's important that you tell us. We're all in this together and we need to work as a team to solve this problem."

The snake looked away, avoiding Sparrow's gaze. "I-I don't know anything. I swear."

Bluejay flew over to the snake and grabbed her by the tail. "You're lying! I can see it in your eyes. You know something, and you're not telling us."

The snake's eyes darted back and forth as Bluejay held her tail in a tight grip. "Please, let me go," the snake begged. "I don't know anything about the missing eggs and young. I swear!"

But Bluejay wasn't convinced. "You're lying!" she screeched, her voice rising with anger. "I can see it in your eyes. You know something, and you're not telling us."

Sparrow flew to Bluejay's side, her wings flapping frantically. "Please, Bluejay, let her go. Yelling at her isn't going to solve anything. We need to work together to figure out what happened."

But Bluejay was too angry to listen. "She's the only suspect we have! We can't just let her go free!"

Robin flew between the two, trying to calm the situation. "Everyone, please calm down. We're not going to solve anything if we're all shouting at each other. Let's try to think logically and figure out what happened.

As the birds argued and accused the snake, the snake became increasingly agitated and defensive. She hissed and bared her fangs, denying any involvement in the missing eggs and young. Despite the snake's denials, the birds remained suspicious and on edge, unsure of whether or not they could trust the manipulative reptile.

As the tension in the nest reached its breaking point, the snake made a decision. She knew she could no longer remain in the nest with the untrusting birds, and so she slithered away, vowing to find a new place to call home. As the snake left, the birds were left to mourn their lost eggs and young, uncertain of what the future held.

Chapter III

Robin and Sparrow were tending to their nest when Bluejay suddenly flew back, a panicked look in her eyes. "Robin! Sparrow! You won't believe what I just saw!"

Robin's feathers ruffled in alarm. "What is it, Bluejay?"

"It's the snake! She's back!" Bluejay exclaimed. "I saw her slithering into my nest with an egg in her mouth!"

Sparrow's eyes filled with tears. "No, not again! How could she do this to us?"

Robin and Sparrow gasped in shock and flew over to the corner of the nest where the snake was coiled. They found her surrounded by a trail of eggshells, her mouth smeared with yolk. "What are you doing here, Snake?" Robin demanded, her voice trembling with anger.

The snake looked up at the birds, her eyes narrowed in defiance. "What does it look like I'm doing? I'm eating. I'm hungry, and these eggs were just sitting here, tempting me. I couldn't resist."

Sparrow's eyes filled with tears. "But those eggs were our future! They were the eggs of our young! How could you do this to us?"

The snake shrugged, unapologetic. "I'm a snake. It's in my nature to eat eggs. I'm sorry if that upsets you, but I have to think about myself first. I'm not going to apologize for trying to survive."

Robin stepped forward, her wings outstretched in a threatening manner. "You're not welcome here anymore. You've betrayed our trust and you've broken your promise to protect us. You have to leave."

The snake hissed and bared her fangs. "Fine. I'll leave. But I'm not going to forget this. I'll find a way to get what I want, even if it means going through all of you."

And with that, the snake slithered away, leaving the birds to mourn their lost eggs and young. The snake knew she had to do something to make amends for her actions. She had broken the birds' trust, and she knew she had to do whatever it took to earn it back.

###

The snake returned to the tree, her head bowed in submission. "I'm so sorry, birds," she said, her voice dripping with sincerity. "I know I've made a terrible mistake. I was just so hungry, and I didn't think about how my actions would affect you. Please, let me make it up to you. I'll do anything to make things right."

Robin, the mother bird, sighed and shook her head. "It's not that simple, Snake. You've betrayed our trust and you've broken your promise to protect us. You can't just apologize and expect everything to be okay."

The snake pressed her head against the ground, pleading. "Please, just give me another chance. I promise I'll be better. I'll do anything to make things right."

Bluejay, the newcomer to the tree, stepped forward, her eyes narrowed in distrust. "We don't believe you, Snake. You've proven that you can't be trusted. You're just trying to manipulate us again."

Sparrow, the kind-hearted bird, fluttered over to the snake and gently touched her wing to the snake's scales. "Oh, please don't be angry, Snake. I'm sure we can find a way to help you. Maybe we can find another tree nearby where you can build a nest of your own."

The snake hissed and pulled away from Sparrow, baring her fangs. "I don't need your pity, little birds. I can take care of myself. I just want what's rightfully mine, and I'll do whatever it takes to get it."

Robin stepped forward, standing her ground. "We can't just blindly trust you again, Snake. You've shown us that you can't be trusted. We're sorry, but the answer is no. You have to leave."

The snake narrowed her eyes and hissed at the birds before slithering away. "Fine. But I won't forget this. I'll find a way to get what I want, even if it means going through all of you."

And with that, the snake left the tree, banished from the community of birds.

###

The snake slithered back to the tree, her tail flicking angrily as she glared at the birds. "How dare you accuse me of eating your eggs!" she hissed, fangs bared. "I've been trying to make amends, but it's clear that my efforts are wasted on you. I must admit, I may have made a mistake. I was hungry and I didn't think about how my actions would affect you. But is it really so wrong for me to try and survive? I thought we were friends, but I see now that I was mistaken."

"I can't believe you have the audacity to show your face here again," Robin says, her feathers ruffled in anger. "You betrayed our trust and ate our eggs and young. That kind of behavior is not acceptable in our community."

Bluejay fluttered down from a high branch, her beak sharp and pointed. "Yeah, and besides, we can't trust you. You're a snake, and snakes are known for being sneaky and manipulative. We should have known better than to let you into our home."

Sparrow fluttered over to the snake, her heart heavy with sadness. "I'm sorry, Snake. I wanted to believe that you could change, but I can't ignore the evidence. I just hope that someday you'll find the happiness you're looking for, even if it's not with us."

The snake hissed and slithered away, her tail lashing behind her. "Fine. I'll leave, but I won't forget this. I'll find a way to get my revenge, even if it means going through all of you."

As the snake disappeared into the underbrush, the birds were left to contemplate the aftermath of her betrayal and the damage it had caused. The tree was in disarray, with broken eggs scattered everywhere and several young birds missing. The surviving birds huddled together, trying to comfort each other in their grief.

"My fellow birds, we have faced a great challenge, but we must not let it defeat us. Together, we will rebuild our community, twig by twig, feather by feather. We will not let the snake's betrayal bring us down. We are a united force, and we will overcome this hardship.

We must stay strong, stay determined, and stay united. We must not let the snake's treachery divide us. No, we must stand together, hand in feather, and face this challenge head-on. We will rebuild, and we will thrive.

So let us hold our heads high, and let us face this challenge with all the strength and courage we possess. We are birds of hope, birds of resilience, and birds of strength. Together, we will overcome this disaster, and we will emerge victorious. So let us rise up, my friends, and face this challenge with all the determination and resolve we possess. We will rebuild, and we will thrive."

"But how can we trust anyone again?" Bluejay asked, her voice filled with frustration. "We let the snake into our home and look what happened. We can't just blindly trust anyone who comes along."

"I understand your concerns, Bluejay," Robin said, her voice gentle and reassuring. "It is natural to feel cautious and hesitant after what happened with the snake. But we must not let fear and distrust consume us. We must not let the snake's betrayal define our relationships with others. We must not let it divide us.

We must remember that not all people are like Snake. Many are kind, sincere, and worthy of our trust. We must not let the actions of one person dictate our relationships with others. We must remain open to the possibility of forming new friendships and building strong, trusting relationships.

But we must also remember to be discerning and cautious. We must not blindly trust anyone who comes along. We must be mindful of the people we allow into our lives and choose our friends wisely. We must be careful and considerate in our interactions with others, and we must always be on guard against those who may seek to deceive us.

So let us not let fear and distrust consume us. Let us not let the snake's betrayal define our relationships with others. Let us stay open to the possibility of forming new friendships and building strong, trusting relationships, while also being mindful and cautious in our interactions with others. Let us rise up, together, and face this challenge with all the determination and resolve we possess. We will rebuild, and we will thrive."

Sparrow fluttered over and placed a soothing feather on Bluejay's shoulder. "I know it's hard, Bluejay, but we can't let fear and mistrust consume us. We have to have faith in each other and work together to create a harmonious community. That's the only way we'll be able to overcome this disaster and move forward."

The other birds nodded in agreement, determined to rebuild their home and move on from the snake's betrayal. But as they went about their work, they couldn't shake the feeling that the snake's vow of revenge was hanging over them like a dark cloud. They knew that the conflict with the snake was far from over and that they would have to be on their guard in case she returned.

###

The moral of this story is that we should be careful about who we trust. Sometimes, people may seem nice, but they might have bad intentions. It's important to be smart and choose our friends wisely, so we don't get into trouble. This story teaches us to be careful and think before we trust others.

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This fable was first published on Medium on Monday, December 19, 2022.