The cost of raising snakes simply out of pity can be very high.

This is a very instructive story that reflects a bitter side of human nature.
A kind and generous hen who was accustomed to helping others without being asked—she once found a small, injured snake in the grass. It was close to death, alone and trembling. Everyone expected the hen to finish it off with her beak.
But she did the opposite.
She picked it up gently.
She brought it to her nest.
She laid it with her chicks.
She hid it in her wings to keep it warm.
And fed it—even when food was scarce.
The other animals warned her:
“Remember, it’s a snake!”
But she replied:
“If I raise it with love, it will learn to love.”
And that was her biggest mistake.
Because you can give someone warmth and comfort… but you can’t change someone’s nature—especially when that nature doesn’t have the substance of gratitude.
The snake grew bigger.
Powerful, sharp, and venomous. Its teeth hardened, its eyes became cold and unfeeling. It no longer needed any protection, no help.
One day, when the hen approached it, trusting it as she always had—just as she had done hundreds of times before—the snake bit it.
Quickly.
Without warning.
Without any remorse.
The dying hen whispered:
“Why? You did this after doing everything for you?”
The snake replied:
“Because I’m still a snake.”
This is a truth that many of us find difficult to accept.
Sometimes we help because we have a good heart. Because we can’t stand to see someone suffer. We share our last penny. We defend the person the whole world is criticizing. We open the doors of our homes and our hearts.
And sometimes, in return, we get ingratitude.
When a person is in trouble, they cry, thank you, promise that they will never forget. But as soon as they get back on their feet, they forget everything. And sometimes, they don’t just forget—they hurt you.
Still, there is justice in life.
People who betray those who helped them are ultimately left alone. When someone hurts the person who raised them, they actually show their true colors. Sooner or later, everyone else recognizes it and backs off.
The lesson is simple:
Be kind—but also wise.
Don’t open your nest to everyone.
Not every wounded creature is harmless.
Not everyone who asks for help deserves to be given access to their heart.
It is beautiful to feel pity and compassion, but the price of raising snakes out of mere pity can be very high.