The Bald Man and the Fly
Once upon a time, there was a pretty town in the shade of sweet smelling linden trees. In this town lived an old man whose head was smooth and shone brightly. On a hot summer day when the sun shone brightly, the man sat down on the wooden chair in his garden. With the sweet breath of the cool wind he closed his eyes and was about to fall into a restful sleep. But just then a tiny and rather impudent fly began to turn around him. This stubborn fly, flying with a buzz, settled on the smooth top of the man and disturbed him.
The old man stirred slightly, waved his hand and wanted to drive the fly away from his head. But the naughty fly took no notice at all and made the bright head of the man its home once more. What is more, it did not stop at that and bit the bald head of the man in a way that hurt him. Waking from his deep sleep with anger, the man shouted, “You insolent creature, now I will catch you!” He made a sour face, raised his hand into the air and decided to crush the fly in his palm. But when the fly saw the angry state of the man, it merrily made one more turn around him.
The patience of the man ran out, his eyes filled with fury and he overflowed with the wish to take revenge. Gathering all his strength, he swung a swift slap right at the spot where the fly had settled. But the cunning fly noticed the moment when the slap would come down and flew up into the air with the speed of lightning. The violent slap of the man burst on his own bald head with a terrible sound that rang in his ears. The man, whose head reddened with pain and whose eyes filled with tears, was bewildered by what had struck him. Looking after the fly that flew away buzzing merrily, the man understood that the punishment he gave had only harmed himself. A person who loses control because of a small anger does the greatest harm to himself again. He who rises in anger sits down with loss.