The man was in a terrible state. All around him there was fearful danger. The air was poisoned with envy, jealousy and competitiveness. His past was ugly and his future bleak. There were tigers snapping at his heels and venomous snakes slithered in the grass at his side. The man ran away from these dangers. But they pursued him relentlessly. When he thought that there was no more hope, he found himself standing at the edge of a fearful abyss. He could hear the tigers coming towards him and he saw the snakes glistening in the shrubs.
The man saw that the abyss was ten foot wide and beyond on the other side was beautiful open parkland where no dangers lurked. There was even a graceful white house at the end of a leafy path with a sign on it that said, " Welcome." But the man was frightened to make the short leap across the abyss although the dangers on his side were approaching nearer. Then he noticed that a rope had been dropped from above with which he could swing himself across the abyss. But the rope was six inches away from his usual reach. He would have to leap six inches to grip the rope. He dared not do it. Instead he turned around and began to run again.
