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The Boy Hunting Locusts

A boy, hunting locusts put out his hand toward a Scorpion, thinking he was another locust. The Scorpion, showing his stinger, said, "If you had touched me, my friend, you would have lost me, and all your locusts too!"

Townsend version

A boy was hunting for locusts. He had caught a goodly number, when he saw a Scorpion, and mistaking him for a locust, reached out his hand to take him. The Scorpion, showing his sting, said: If you had but touched me, my friend, you would have lost me, and all your locusts too!"

L'Estrange version (A Boy and a Snake)

A boy was groping for eles, and layd his hand upon a snake, but the snake, finding it was pure simplicity, and not malice, admonish'd him of his mistake; keep your self well while you are well, says the snake; for if you meddle with me, you'll repent your bargain.

Moral

'Tis the intention, morally speaking, that makes the action good or bad; and even brutes themselves will put a difference betwizt harms of ill-will and mischance.

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