There’s this story I came across about a woman and a snake that really drives home a point about dealing with narcissists. It starts off pretty simple: a woman finds a snake by the side of the road. It’s hurt and looks pretty pitiful, so she decides to take it home, nurse it back to health, give it some love—basically, she pours her heart into helping this snake recover.
But here’s the twist—once the snake is back on its feet, it bites her. Just like that, it releases its venom into her veins. Lying there, shocked and fading, the woman asks the snake, “Why would you do this to me? I just wanted to help you.” And the snake, without missing a beat, says, “You knew what I was before you picked me up.”
That story hits hard, especially when you relate it to dealing with toxic people, particularly narcissists. They might present themselves as needy or damaged, which pulls at your heartstrings. You might feel a surge of wanting to help, to heal them. But the core of a narcissist doesn’t really change—just like the snake, they act on their nature without regard for others.
Anyone who consistently lies, cheats, or manipulates others for their own gain is showing you their true colors. These individuals lack integrity and genuine empathy. Their venom—metaphorical in humans, but just as dangerous—is always there, just under the surface, ready to strike when you least expect it.
So, what’s the takeaway from the woman and the snake? Maybe it’s that while it’s great to be compassionate, it’s also crucial to recognize when someone is simply showing you their true nature—and to believe them the first time around.
