The Marabout draws a large circle in the dirt, which represents the world. He places a scorpion, symbolic of man, inside the circle.
The scorpion, believing it has achieved freedom, starts to run around the circle – but never attempts to go outside.
After the scorpion has raced several times around inside the edge of the circle. The Marabout lowers his stick and divides the circle in half. The scorpion stops for a few seconds, then begins to run faster and faster, apparently looking for a way out, but never finding it. Strangely enough, the scorpion does not dare cross over the line.
After a few minutes, the Marabout divides the half circle. The scorpion becomes frantic. Soon the Marabout makes a space no bigger than the scorpion’s body. This is “the moment of truth.” The scorpion, dazed and bewildered, finds itself unable to move one way or another.
Raising its venomous tail, the scorpion turns rapidly ‘round and ’round in a veritable frenzy. Whirling, whirling, whirling until all of its spirit and energy are spent. In utter hopelessness the scorpion stops, lowers the poisonous point of its tail, and stings itself to death.
It’s torment ended.