--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Brothers, the white people are like…" description: "\"Brothers, the white people are like poisonous serpents: when chilled they are feeble and harmless, but invigorate them with warmth and they sting their..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e0/tecumseh-16912_benefactors_brothers-the-white-people-are-like-poiso_226456.jpg" --- # Brothers, the white people are like poisonous serpents… ![“Brothers, the white people are like poisonous serpents: when chilled they are feeble and harmless, but invigorate them with warmth and they sting their benefactors to death.” quote by Tecumseh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e0/tecumseh-16912_benefactors_brothers-the-white-people-are-like-poiso_226456.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e0/tecumseh-16912_benefactors_brothers-the-white-people-are-like-poiso_226456.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e0/tecumseh-16912_benefactors_brothers-the-white-people-are-like-poiso_226456.jpg) > “Brothers, the white people are like poisonous serpents: when chilled they are feeble and harmless, but invigorate them with warmth and they sting their benefactors to death.” [Tecumseh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tecumseh/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. White people are likened to poisonous serpents that become dangerous when warmed, harming those who help them. **In simple terms:** Warmth makes them harmful. Key Takeaway Beware enabling empowering the dangerous. Themes trust danger betrayal power colonialism Mood cautious critical reflective Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - political negotiations - social movements - community leadership - intercultural relations Key Concepts Metaphor colonial critique human nature Questions to Reflect On - How do you identify harmful influences in your life? - What safeguards can prevent betrayal? A Different Perspective Assumes a monolithic view of white people, ignoring diversity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Benefactors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/benefactors/) [Brother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brother/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Racism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism/) [Serpent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/serpent/) [Warmth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/warmth/) [White people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white-people/) ## Related quotes > [Watch constantly against those things which are thought to be no temptations. The most poisonous serpents are found where the sweetest flowers grow. Cleopatra…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/watch-constantly-against-those-things-which-are-thought-to-be-no/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [Besides alligators, the only animals to be feared are the poisonous serpents. These are certainly common enough in the forest, but no fatal accident…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-walter-bates/besides-alligators-the-only-animals-to-be-feared-are-the-poisonous/) [Henry Walter Bates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-walter-bates/) > [Politics is a deleterious profession, like some poisonous handicrafts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/politics-is-a-deleterious-profession-like-some-poisonous-handicrafts/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [apartheid still hangs in the air like a poisonous cloud left over from chemical warfare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dervla-murphy/apartheid-still-hangs-in-the-air-like-a-poisonous-cloud-left-over/) [Dervla Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dervla-murphy/) > [“The pain was brilliant, like a poisonous inspiration.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-pain-was-brilliant-like-a-poisonous-inspiration/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“All day and all night my desire for you unwinds like a poisonous snake.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samar-sen/all-day-and-all-night-my-desire-for-you-unwinds-like-a-poisonous-snake/) Samar Sen > [Love is like a poisonous mushroom -- you don't know if it is the real thing until it is too late](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-is-like-a-poisonous-mushroom-you-don-t-know-if-it-is-the-real/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I really think I like poisonous snakes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bindi-irwin/i-really-think-i-like-poisonous-snakes/) [Bindi Irwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bindi-irwin/) > [All changes pass me like a dream, I neither sing nor pray; And thou art like the poisonous tree That stole my life away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-siddal/all-changes-pass-me-like-a-dream-i-neither-sing-nor-pray-and-thou-art/) Elizabeth Siddal > [“Though I knew I had the potential to do this locked in me like a poisonous pet snake, I knew I didn't have the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-lacey/though-i-knew-i-had-the-potential-to-do-this-locked-in-me-like-a/) [Catherine Lacey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-lacey/) > [Do not be too quick to condemn the man who no longer believes in God: for it is perhaps your own coldness and avarice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/do-not-be-too-quick-to-condemn-the-man-who-no-longer-believes-in-god/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [RVD is the most chilled man on planet Earth - if he was any more relaxed, he'd be asleep - and he is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-mcintyre/rvd-is-the-most-chilled-man-on-planet-earth-if-he-was-any-more/) [Drew McIntyre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-mcintyre/) > [It would be hard to say that exactly, but antinatalism is a reality in my life, not just an interesting idea. I can feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-s-crisp/it-would-be-hard-to-say-that-exactly-but-antinatalism-is-a-reality-in/) [Quentin S. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-s-crisp/) > [If God had wanted us to spend all our time fretting about the problems of home ownership, He would never have created beer. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/if-god-had-wanted-us-to-spend-all-our-time-fretting-about-the/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [Drinking champagne after making love is like taking a bath in chilled pearls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anistatia-r-miller/drinking-champagne-after-making-love-is-like-taking-a-bath-in-chilled/) Anistatia R. Miller ## More by Tecumseh > [Where today are the Pequot? Where are the Narragansett, the Mohican, the Pcanet, and other powerful tribes of our people? They have vanished before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tecumseh/where-today-are-the-pequot-where-are-the-narragansett-the-mohican-the/) [Tecumseh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tecumseh/) > [My father! The sun is my father, and the earth is my mother, and on her bosom I will recline.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tecumseh/my-father-the-sun-is-my-father-and-the-earth-is-my-mother-and-on-her/) [Tecumseh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tecumseh/) > [Prepare a noble death song for the day when you go over the great divide.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tecumseh/prepare-a-noble-death-song-for-the-day-when-you-go-over-the-great/) [Tecumseh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tecumseh/) > [When the legends die, the dreams end; there is no more greatness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tecumseh/when-the-legends-die-the-dreams-end-there-is-no-more-greatness/) [Tecumseh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tecumseh/) > [I am a Shawnee. My forefathers were warriors. Their son is a warrior. From them, I take my only existence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tecumseh/i-am-a-shawnee-my-forefathers-were-warriors-their-son-is-a-warrior/) [Tecumseh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tecumseh/) > [Show respect to all people, but grovel to none.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tecumseh/show-respect-to-all-people-but-grovel-to-none/) [Tecumseh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tecumseh/) > [Where today are the Pequot? Where are the Narragansett, the Mohican, the Pokanoket, and many other once powerful tribes of our people? They have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tecumseh/where-today-are-the-pequot-where-are-the-narragansett-the-mohican-the-2/) [Tecumseh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tecumseh/) > [You, too, will be driven away from your native land and ancient domains as leaves are driven before the wintry storms. Sleep not longer,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tecumseh/you-too-will-be-driven-away-from-your-native-land-and-ancient-domains/) [Tecumseh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tecumseh/) > [No tribe has the right to sell, even to each other, much less to strangers… Sell a country! Why not sell the air, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tecumseh/no-tribe-has-the-right-to-sell-even-to-each-other-much-less-to/) [Tecumseh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tecumseh/) > [I am Shawnee! I am a warrior! My forefathers were warriors. From them I took only my birth into this world. From my tribe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tecumseh/i-am-shawnee-i-am-a-warrior-my-forefathers-were-warriors-from-them-i/) [Tecumseh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tecumseh/) > [Trouble no one about their religion; respect others in their view and demand that they respect yours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tecumseh/trouble-no-one-about-their-religion-respect-others-in-their-view-and/) [Tecumseh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tecumseh/) > [Always give a word or a sign of salute when meeting or passing a friend,even a stranger, when in a lonely place. Show respect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tecumseh/always-give-a-word-or-a-sign-of-salute-when-meeting-or-passing-a/) [Tecumseh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tecumseh/) > [I have made myself what I am. And I would that I could make the red people as great as the conceptions of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tecumseh/i-have-made-myself-what-i-am-and-i-would-that-i-could-make-the-red/) [Tecumseh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tecumseh/) > [Sing your death song and die like a hero going home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tecumseh/sing-your-death-song-and-die-like-a-hero-going-home/) [Tecumseh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tecumseh/) > [Sell a country! Why not sell the air, the clouds and the great sea, as well as the earth? Did not the Great Spirit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tecumseh/sell-a-country-why-not-sell-the-air-the-clouds-and-the-great-sea-as/) [Tecumseh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tecumseh/) [Explore all 38 Tecumseh quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tecumseh/) ## More Benefactors quotes > [I happen to have the benefit of having a son-in-law who was the former Mr. France and a trainer. I like being his benefactor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-somers/i-happen-to-have-the-benefit-of-having-a-son-in-law-who-was-the/) [Suzanne Somers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-somers/) > [Being human, we would expel from our lives physical pain and mental anguish and assure ourselves of continual ease and comfort, but if we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-w-kimball/being-human-we-would-expel-from-our-lives-physical-pain-and-mental/) [Spencer W. Kimball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-w-kimball/) > [Nordenson describes wrestling with work as with a large force that wants to have its way with you, even as you want to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luci-shaw/nordenson-describes-wrestling-with-work-as-with-a-large-force-that/) [Luci Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luci-shaw/) > [Would movie moguls release a film portraying Adolph Hitler as a great benefactor of the Jews? Hardly. Would they release a movie if the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-wildmon/would-movie-moguls-release-a-film-portraying-adolph-hitler-as-a-great/) Donald Wildmon > [When men receive favours from someone they expected to do them ill, they are under a greater obligation to their benefactor...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/when-men-receive-favours-from-someone-they-expected-to-do-them-ill/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [Throughout my life, my greatest benefactors have been my dreams and my travels; very few men, living or dead, have helped me in my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikos-kazantzakis/throughout-my-life-my-greatest-benefactors-have-been-my-dreams-and-my/) [Nikos Kazantzakis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikos-kazantzakis/) > [He is a benefactor of mankind who contracts the great rules of life into the short sentences, that may be easily impressed on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/he-is-a-benefactor-of-mankind-who-contracts-the-great-rules-of-life/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [People hired by government know who is their benefactor. People who lose their jobs or fail to get them because of the government program…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/people-hired-by-government-know-who-is-their-benefactor-people-who/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [I account the office of benefactor, or almoner, to which God appoints all those whom he has favored with wealth, one of the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-g-holland/i-account-the-office-of-benefactor-or-almoner-to-which-god-appoints/) [J. G. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-g-holland/) > [Throughout my life my greatest benefactors have been my travels and my dreams. Very few men, living or dead, have helped me in my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikos-kazantzakis/throughout-my-life-my-greatest-benefactors-have-been-my-travels-and/) [Nikos Kazantzakis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikos-kazantzakis/) > [Look at every path closely and deliberately. Try it as many times as you think necessary. Then ask yourself and yourself alone one question.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kornfield/look-at-every-path-closely-and-deliberately-try-it-as-many-times-as/) [Jack Kornfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kornfield/) > [No one is to be called an enemy, all are your benefactors, and no one does you harm. You have no enemy except yourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-of-assisi/no-one-is-to-be-called-an-enemy-all-are-your-benefactors-and-no-one/) [Francis of Assisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-of-assisi/) > [A benefactor is a representative of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-whichcote/a-benefactor-is-a-representative-of-god/) [Benjamin Whichcote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-whichcote/) > [ First, therefore, \[the Jew\] goes about making up to the people for his previous sins against them. He begins his career as the 'benefactor'… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/first-therefore-the-jew-goes-about-making-up-to-the-people-for-his/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [All truth is valuable, and satirical criticism may be considered as useful when it rectifies error and improves judgment; he that refines the public…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/all-truth-is-valuable-and-satirical-criticism-may-be-considered-as/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) [Browse all 113 Benefactors quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/benefactors/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Brothers, the white people are like poisonous serpents: when chilled they are feeble and harmless, but invigorate them with warmth and they sting their benefactors to death.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tecumseh" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tecumseh/brothers-the-white-people-are-like-poisonous-serpents-when-chilled/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Benefactors" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tecumseh/brothers-the-white-people-are-like-poisonous-serpents-when-chilled/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e0/tecumseh-16912_benefactors_brothers-the-white-people-are-like-poiso_226456.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e0/tecumseh-16912_benefactors_brothers-the-white-people-are-like-poiso_226456.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e0/tecumseh-16912_benefactors_brothers-the-white-people-are-like-poiso_226456.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Brothers, the white people are like poisonous serpents: when chilled they are feeble and harmless, but…” — Tecumseh", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Tecumseh", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tecumseh/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Brothers, the white people are like...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tecumseh/brothers-the-white-people-are-like-poisonous-serpents-when-chilled/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tecumseh/brothers-the-white-people-are-like-poisonous-serpents-when-chilled/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```