"Please, Mr. Frog," he said, "would you carry me across the river?"
"I can't do that," said the frog. "You are a scorpion, and you will sting me."
"NO," said the scorpion. "I won't sting you because then we will both drown in the river."
This made sense to the frog, and he agreed to help him.
The scorpion climbed onto the back of the frog, and the frog began to swim. When they reached the middle of the river, the scorpion stung the frog. It hurt the frog very much, and they both began to sink under the water.
Why did you sting me?" asked the frog. "Now I will die, and you will surely down."
"I couldn't help it," said the scorpion. "I am a scorpion, and that is what scorpions do. And you knew I was a scorpion when you let me ride on your back."
一隻蠍子和一隻青蛙在河邊相遇，蠍子想過河，但是牠不會游泳。
牠說：「青蛙先生，可以麻煩你帶我過河嗎？」
青蛙說：「我不能這麼做，你是隻蠍子，你會螫我的。」
蠍子說：「不會，我不會螫你，因為螫你的話，我們兩個都會被淹死在水裡。」
青蛙覺得有道理，於是同意幫牠這個忙。
蠍子爬上青蛙的背，然後青蛙開始游泳；當牠們到了河的中央，蠍子螫了青蛙。青蛙傷得很重，於是牠們兩個開始往水裡沉。
青蛙問：「你為什麼要螫我？現在我快死了，而你當然也會跟著被淹死。」
蠍子說：「我忍不住，因為我是一隻蠍子，這就是蠍子會做的事。而當你讓我坐在你背上的時候，你就知道我是一隻蠍子。」