A mouse living in a library once met a mouse living in a granary. Assuming the air of a scholar, the library mouse said arrogantly to the granary mouse, "Poor fellow, to satisfy your hunger, you settle for living in a dry and stuffy granary. There is nothing there but grain. What a dull life it must be, with only physical satisfaction and no intellectual enrichment! In the library, it is so peaceful, and I can see all sorts of books from ancient and modern times."
"Then you must be a very learned scholar," the granary mouse said sincerely.
"Of course! I savor every word and every sentence in every book, absorbing all the knowledge within."
"That's wonderful! I actually have something I need help with from a knowledgeable friend like you." Having said this, the granary mouse led the library mouse to a granary and pointed to a jar in the corner. "Since you can read, could you please check this label and tell me if it says 'Sesame Oil' or 'Rat Poison'?" In truth, the library mouse could not read at all. Looking at the blurred characters on the label, he couldn't distinguish between "Sesame Oil" and "Rat Poison." Just as he was hesitating, a scent of fragrant oil wafted from the jar, so he guessed by instinct, "It must be sesame oil."
"Are you sure? Are you certain you saw it correctly?"
"Of course. If you don't believe me, I'll drink it to prove it." To demonstrate his wisdom and satisfy his appetite, the library mouse tipped over the jar and began to drink greedily. However, after only a few sips, he began to convulse and soon died. It was only later that the granary mouse discovered that the label clearly read "Rat Poison."
Moral: Those who pretend to be knowledgeable often meet a poor end. If you are driven by vanity and fail to admit when you do not know, you are destined to be deceived and suffer the consequences.
