The Story of Two Ants*

Once upon a time, two ants used to live on two different types of ant-hills. One used to live on a hill made of sugar crystals and the other used to live on a hill made of salt crystals. Let/s call them sugar-hill and salt-hill ant. From time to time, they used to see each other in some tea house or coffee shop and share what is on their minds. Both of them were convinced about the relative “greatness” of their own hill and used to sing praises of how great the sugar and salt are, respectively. The ant which used to live on the sugar hill used to muse over the fact that ‘how can the salt be sweet, after all?’

One day, on a New Year celebration, the ant which used to live on the sugar hill invited the ant which used to live on the salt hill. The idea was to make the salt-hill ant realize how sweet the sugar is. The salt-hill ant was delighted to visit the so called sugar-hill. After exchanging greetings, the sugar-hill ant offered the salt-hill ant the once-in-the-life-time opportunity of tasting the sugar. The salt-hill ant took a bite on the sugar crystals and became quiet. The sugar-hill ant inquired, “So, tell me now, how does it taste?” The salt-hill ant said, “Well, it tastes like what I thought it would: It tastes salty!”

The sugar-hill ant could not believe it! How can sugar taste salty?!!!..she wondered. Then she asked the salt-hill ant to open her mouth. When the salt-hill ant opened her mouth, there was a tiny crystal of salt in the back of her mouth!

The salt-hill ant was not sure whether she will get anything good to eat at the sugar-hill. So, before coming over, she put a tiny bit of salt in her mouth to be on the safe-side!

Moral of the story: It is very difficult to agree with the truth that disagrees with us; it even harder to disagree with the untruth that agrees with us.

Moral 2: Most people are not looking for truth. They are looking for re-confirmation of what they already believe in.

*Story as narrated by Pujay Swami Sri Ramsukhdasji Maharaj in one of his Satsangs, transcribed in English by the author.