Weekend Story-Arrogance Of Knowledge

There was once a language scholar who was visiting a university that required him to cross a river. The scholar reached the river bank and engaged the services of a waiting ferryman with a small boat.

As the boat crossed the river, the scholar couldn’t resist the urge to flaunt his knowledge. So he mockingly asked the ferryman if he understood grammar and the intricacies of language.

The ferryman replied humbly, “I am illiterate, sir.”

In a condescending tone, the scholar responded, “Oh dear! It seems you’ve wasted half of your life.”

The words stung the ferryman. “Why is this gentleman trying to make me feel bad?” he wondered.

However, fate had other plans in store for them. The peaceful river suddenly turned turbulent because of heavy rains upstream, and the boat started rocking violently.

In the face of this impending danger, the ferryman inquired, “Sir, do you happen to know how to swim?”

With a hint of regret, the scholar admitted, “No, I do not.”

The ferryman couldn’t help but remark, “Ah, what a pity! It appears you’ve wasted your entire life, for this boat will likely capsize soon, and we may need to survive by swimming to the river bank on the other side.”