48.The Boy Bathing
A BOY bathing in a river was in danger of being drowned. He called out to a passing traveller for help, but instead of holding out a helping hand, the man stood by unconcernedly, and scolded the boy for his imprudence.
“Mister!” cried the youth, “try to help me now and scold me afterwards.”
❖ Counsel without help is at times quite useless.
47.The Boy and the Nettles
A BOY was stung by a nettle. He ran home and told his mother, saying,”Although it hurts me very much, I only touched it gently.”
“That was just why it stung you,” said his mother. “The next time you touch a nettle, grasp it boldly, and it will be soft as silk to your hand, and not in the least hurt you.”
❖ Better wear shoes than walk barefoot among nettles, no matter what you mother says in the matter.
❖ He that makes himself a sheep (sheepish) due to bad advice, may suffer undeservedly.
46.Friend or Foe?
A fox slipped in climbing a fence. To save himself from falling he clutched at a brier-bush. The thorns made his paws bleed, and in his pain he cried out: “Oh dear! I turned to you for help and you have made me worse off than I was before.”
“Yes, my friend!” said the brier. “You made a bad mistake when you tried to lay hold of me. I lay hold of everyone myself.”
❖ The incident illustrates the folly of those who run for aid to people whose nature it is to hurt rather than to help.
45.Fools Die for Want of Wisdom
A monkey made a great impression by dancing before an assembly of animals, who elected him their king. The fox was jealous. Noticing a snare with a piece of meat in it, he took the monkey to it and said:
“Here is a choice titbit that I have found. Instead of eating it myself I have kept it for you as a perquisite of your royal office. So take it.”
The monkey went at it carelessly and was caught in the snare. When he accused the fox of laying a trap for him, the fox replied: “Fancy a fool like you, friend monkey, being king of the animals!”
❖ People who attempt things without due consideration suffer for it and get laughed at into the bargain.
