There is an old tale about a saint that asked God to show him hell and paradise.
God took him to two doors and opened one of them. In the middle of the large room stood a round table on which there was a pot full of stew, which smelled so good that the saint's mouth watered. Around the table were sitting many persons, each with a very long spoon tied to their right hand.They were all of unhealthy and gount appearance. They were very thin and looked starved. They desperately were trying to eat the stew off of their spoons, but the long spoons wouldn't reach their mouths. They were all crying in desperation.
God led the saint out and said: "This was hell."
Then God open the other door and they walked in. Inside there was everything pretty much like in the first room. There was a large, round table with the savory stew and there were also persons sitting around the table, with very long spoons tied to their right hands, but the people looked healthy and quite happy. And they were talking among themselves with smiles and laughter.
God led the saint out and said: "This was paradise."
The saint said: "I do not understand." Then God told him: "In the second room people learned to feed each other and they enjoy the fruits of their kindness. In the first room, however, people are only thinking about themselves and they have to live with the consequences."
