2.43. THE SPLENETIC TRAVELLER. A splenetic and a facetious man were once upon a journey: the former went slugging on with a thousand cares and troubles in his head, exclaiming over and over: "Lord, what shall I do to live?"
The other jogged merrily away, and left his matters to Providence and good fortune.
"Well, brother," says the sorrowful wight, "how can you be so frolicksome now? As I am a sinner, my heart's e'en ready to break for fear I should want bread."
"Come, come," says the other, "fall back, fall edge, I have fixed my resolution, and my mind's at rest."
"Ay, but for all that," says the other, "I have known the confidence of as resolute people as yourself has deceived them in the conclusion;" and so the poor man fell into another fit of doubting and musing, till he started out of it all on a sudden: "Good Sir !" says he, "what if I should fall blind?" and so he walked a good way before his companion with his eyes shut to try how it would be if that misfortune should befall him.
In this interim, his fellow-traveller, who followed him, found a purse of money upon the way, which rewarded his trust in Providence; whereas the other missed that encounter as a punishment of his distrust; for the purse had been his, as he went first, if he had not put himself out of condition of seeing it.
MORAL. He that commits himself to Providence is sure of a friend in time of need; while an anxious distrust of the divine goodness makes a man more and more unworthy of it, and miserable beforehand for fear of being so afterwards. [more info]
The other jogged merrily away, and left his matters to Providence and good fortune.
"Well, brother," says the sorrowful wight, "how can you be so frolicksome now? As I am a sinner, my heart's e'en ready to break for fear I should want bread."
"Come, come," says the other, "fall back, fall edge, I have fixed my resolution, and my mind's at rest."
"Ay, but for all that," says the other, "I have known the confidence of as resolute people as yourself has deceived them in the conclusion;" and so the poor man fell into another fit of doubting and musing, till he started out of it all on a sudden: "Good Sir !" says he, "what if I should fall blind?" and so he walked a good way before his companion with his eyes shut to try how it would be if that misfortune should befall him.
In this interim, his fellow-traveller, who followed him, found a purse of money upon the way, which rewarded his trust in Providence; whereas the other missed that encounter as a punishment of his distrust; for the purse had been his, as he went first, if he had not put himself out of condition of seeing it.
MORAL. He that commits himself to Providence is sure of a friend in time of need; while an anxious distrust of the divine goodness makes a man more and more unworthy of it, and miserable beforehand for fear of being so afterwards. [more info]
No comments:
Post a Comment