Bounderies can only be upheld to the intensity they are being crossed

…a short story on boundaries

The Cobra and The Old Mystic Lady

There was a cobra that kept bitting people in a small village. No one could catch him and everyone was afraid so they all left the village. Eventually the cobra became lonely and with no one around felt quite depressed. One day an old mystical lady came to the village to see the cobra.

The cobra was sleeping in the dark under a porch where the lady knew was his home. She asked him to come out but he told her he was too tired and sad since everyone had left. She told him that if he didn’t bite people they would slowly come back. SO the cobra listened.

A few days later a few people came back to the village — felt safe again and told others. Then a few more people started to come back and next thing you know everyone was back. Then one day the old mystical lady came back to the village to see how the cobra was doing only to find these young boys throwing rocks at him, grabbing his tail and throwing him against the wall.

The lady stopped the boys immediately and sent them on their way. Then looked down at the cobra and said: “why are you letting them do that?” which the cobra replied “you told me I couldn’t bite anyone”.

The old mystical lady said “I told you not to bite anyone but I didn’t tell you to stop hissing”