a farmer was driving his wagon along a miry country road after a heavy rain. the horses could hardly drag the load through the deep mud, and at last came to a standstill when one of the wheels sank to the hub in a rut.
the farmer climbed down from his seat and stood beside the wagon looking at it but without making the least effort to get it out of the rut. all he did was to curse his bad luck and call loudly on hercules to come to his aid. then, it is said, hercules really did appear, saying:
"put your shoulder to the wheel, man, and urge on your horses. do you think you can move the wagon by simply looking at it and whining about it? hercules will not help unless you make some effort to help yourself."
and when the farmer put his shoulder to the wheel and urged on the horses, the wagon moved very readily, and soon the farmer was riding along in great content and with a good lesson learned.
self help is the best help.
heaven helps those who help themselves.
a frisky young kid had been left by the herdsman on the thatched roof of a sheep shelter to keep him out of harm's way. the kid was browsing near the edge of the roof, when he spied a wolf and began to jeer at him, making faces and abusing him to his heart's content.
"i hear you," said the wolf, "and i haven't the least grudge against you for what you say or do. when you are up there it is the roof that's talking, not you."
do not say anything at any time that you would not say at all times.[pg 18]
the town mouse and the country mouse
the town mouse and the country mouse
a town mouse once visited a relative who lived in the country. for lunch the country mouse served wheat stalks, roots, and acorns, with a dash of cold water for drink. the town mouse ate very sparingly, nibbling a little of this and a little of that, and by her manner making it very plain that she ate the simple food only to be polite.
after the meal the friends had a long talk, or rather the town mouse talked about her life in the city while the country mouse listened. they then went to bed in a cozy nest in the hedgerow and slept in quiet and comfort until morning. in her sleep the country mouse dreamed she was a town mouse with all the luxuries and delights of city life that her friend had described for her. so the next day when the town mouse asked the country mouse to go home with her to the city, she gladly said yes.
when they reached the mansion in which the town mouse lived, they found on the table in the dining room the leavings of a very fine banquet. there were sweetmeats and jellies, pastries, delicious cheeses, indeed, the most tempting foods that a mouse can imagine. but just as the country mouse was about to nibble a dainty bit of pastry, she heard a cat mew loudly and scratch at the door. in great fear the mice scurried to a hiding place, where they lay quite still for a long time, hardly daring to breathe. when at last they ventured back to the feast, the door opened suddenly and in came the servants to clear the table, followed by the house dog.
the country mouse stopped in the town mouse's den only long enough to pick up her carpet bag and umbrella.
"you may have luxuries and dainties that i have not," she said as she hurried away, "but i prefer my plain food and simple life in the country with the peace and security that go with it."
poverty with security is better than plenty in the midst of fear and uncertainty.
