h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

One day a scorpion was on the bank of the River Jordan, wanting to get across to the other side. But scorpions can't swim.

Luckily it spotted an otter that was about to swim across the river.

'Please, otter,' said the scorpion, 'I need to get across the river, but I can't swim - let me ride on your back.'

'What sort of a fool do you take me for?' said the otter. 'If I let you near me you'll sting me to death.'

'Of course I won't,' said the scorpion. 'I'm trying to get across the river. What possible good would it do me to sting you?'

The otter thought it over, and could see the logic of the scorpion's argument. So it let the scorpion jump onto its back, and set off swimming across the Jordan.

About half-way across, where the river was at its deepest, the scorpion stung the otter.

Writhing in agony, the otter said, 'You senseless fool! Now I'm dying, and you can't swim so you'll drown too. Where's the sense in that? We'll both die needlessly.'

Moral: This fable is set in the Middle East.