There was once a flood that raged through the city, turning the streets into rivers littered with debris. Among the flotsam, buoyed by the swift current, were an iron wok and an aluminum pot. As the flood carried the two along, they saw a delicate porcelain teacup struggling mightily to snag its handle on a tree branch that hung low over the waters.
“Ahoy, teacup!” called the pot.
“Over here!” seconded the wok.
The teacup turned and saw the two approaching. Without a word, the it quickly resumed its struggle to hook onto the tree branch.
“What’re you doing, teacup?” the wok asked.
“What does it look like I’m doing, Mr. Wok?” the teacup answered. “I’m trying to get out of the flood.”
“Why don’t you just float with us?” the pot asked.
“With all the bits and pieces of things in the water, I’m afraid I wouldn’t get too far, Mr. Pot, before I smashed against something,” the teacup huffed in frustration after having just missed the branch again. For awhile, the pot and the wok watched as the teacup redoubled its efforts.
“Well, then, just float in between the two of us,” the wok said, sounding pleased at his own cleverness. “That way, any debris that comes your way, we can fend off. We’re strong enough and you’ll be perfectly safe!”
“That’s an excellent suggestion, wok!” the pot exclaimed.
“Thank you, sir. I’m sure you had the idea first and just wanted me to get the credit,” the wok demurred.
“Nonsense! That was all your cleverness, wok!” the pot replied.
Back and forth they went like that, bobbing in the flood, until the teacup – with a small whoop of triumph – finally managed to hook onto the branch.
“Begging your pardon Mr. Wok, Mr. Pot,” the teacup said, dangling in relative safety above the flood waters. “I’d like to thank you for the kind offer, but look up ahead. See where the water gets all boiling and angry looking?”
The wok and the pot stopped their self-congratulating and looked. “So?” they asked as one.
“Well, when we float into that with me in the middle, I’d be crushed to pieces the minute the two of you started banging against each other!”
