The Doctor and the Patient
Once upon a time an old man lived in a small, pretty village. One day this man suddenly fell very ill and took to his bed. His neighbours quickly called the most famous doctor in the village. The doctor took his big bag and went into the old man's room. He smiled at the sick man and examined him very carefully. The next morning the doctor came again and asked about the man.
The sick man said, "I sweated all night, my body burned." The doctor answered happily, "That is very good news, you are getting better." On the second day the sick man said, "I shivered, I felt like ice." The doctor smiled again and said, "Perfect, this is a wonderful sign." On the third day the sick man said, "My stomach hurt and I felt weak." The doctor said excitedly, "Very good, your body is pushing the illness out."
In the evening an old friend came to visit him. The friend asked curiously, "What does the doctor say, how are you?" The sick man sat up slowly in bed with a bitter smile. "The doctor calls every bad sign very good," he said. "But I am dying in the middle of all this good news!" he added. Sweet words do not change the truth; we must always look at the facts. Fine words butter no parsnips.