Philosopher And Fool

Philosopher and Fool.

One sunny day, shortly after a war had torn through the country, one citizen decided to walk through the city to see what remained standing. It was on this walk that he encountered a most peculiar scene: a fellow citizen seemed to be chewing off his own hand.

"Ho there," greeted the first citizen, "what, by the gods, are you doing?"

"I should think," replied the second citizen, "that it is quite obvious. I am separating my hand from my arm by the action of chewing."

"Your actions are evident enough. What I lack," pushed the first citizen," is the reason why. Why are you mutilating yourself thusly?"

"I have heard," explained the second," that animals caught in traps will sometimes chew off their limbs in order to secure freedom. I have recently lost everything, and I feel an additional loss as to what to do now. I am trapped up in the jaws of indecision and sorrow, knowing not the worth of what might follow this catastrophe."

"But... but..." insisted the first, "animals do this with a physical trap, such as a rope snare or a metal vice..."

"Ah, you are mistaken," rebutted the second, "for there is no such thing as a physical trap. All traps are metaphysical."