Blowing Hot and Cold

Aesop’s fables contain many helpful moral lessons for us. One of them is about a man and a satyr who, having struck up an acquaintance, sat down together to eat. The day being wintry and cold, the man put his fingers to his mouth and blew upon them.

“What’s that for, my friend?” asked the satyr. “My hands are so cold,” said the man, “I do it to warm them.” In a little while some hot food was placed before them, and the man, raising the dish to his mouth, again blew upon it. “And what’s the meaning of that, now?” asked the satyr. “Oh,” replied the man, “my porridge is so hot, I do it to cool it.” “Then,” said the satyr, “from this moment I renounce your friendship, for I will have nothing to do with one who blows hot and cold with the same mouth.”