a12-第2章

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just　as　the　toad　is　the　ugliest　of　animals；　it　should　often　carry
the　most　precious　jewel　in　its　head？　Is　it　not　just　the　same　thing
with　men？　What　a　jewel　that　was　that　Aesop　had；　and　still　more；
Socrates！〃

The　Toad　did　not　hear　any　more；　nor　did　she　understand　half　of
what　she　had　heard。　The　two　friends　walked　on；　and　thus　she　escaped　the　fate　of　being　bottled　up　in　spirits。

〃Those　two　also　were　speaking　of　the　jewel；〃　said　the　Toad　to
herself。　〃What　a　good　thing　that　I　have　not　got　it！　I　might　have
been　in　a　very　disagreeable　position。〃

Now　there　was　a　clapping　on　the　roof　of　the　farm…house。
Father…Stork　was　making　a　speech　to　his　family；　and　his　family　was
glancing　down　at　the　two　young　men　in　the　kitchen　garden。

〃Man　is　the　most　conceited　creature！〃　said　the　Stork。　〃Listen
how　their　jaws　are　wagging；　and　for　all　that　they　can't　clap　properly。

They　boast　of　their　gifts　of　eloquence　and　their　language！　Yes；　a　fine
language　truly！　Why；　it　changes　in　every　day's　journey　we　make。　One　of　them　doesn't　understand　another。　Now；　we　can　speak　our　language　over　the　whole　earth…　up　in　the　North　and　in　Egypt。　And　then　men　are　not　able　to　fly；　moreover。　They　rush　along　by　means　of　an　invention　they　call　'railway；'　but　they　often　break　their　necks　over　it。　It　makes
my　beak　turn　cold　when　I　think　of　it。　The　world　could　get　on　without
men。　We　could　do　without　them　very　well；　so　long　as　we　only　keep　frogs　and　earth…worms。〃

〃That　was　a　powerful　speech；〃　thought　the　little　Toad。　〃What　a
great　man　that　is　yonder！　and　how　high　he　sits！　Higher　than　ever　I　saw
any　one　sit　yet；　and　how　he　can　swim！〃　she　cried；　as　the　Stork
soared　away　through　the　air　with　outspread　pinions。

And　the　Mother…Stork　began　talking　in　the　nest；　and　told　about
Egypt　and　the　waters　of　the　Nile；　and　the　incomparable　mud　that　was　to　be　found　in　that　strange　land；　and　all　this　sounded　new　and　very
charming　to　the　little　Toad。

〃I　must　go　to　Egypt！〃　said　she。　〃If　the　Stork　or　one　of　his
young　ones　would　only　take　me！　I　would　oblige　him　in　return。　Yes；　I
shall　get　to　Egypt；　for　I　feel　so　happy！　All　the　longing　and　all　the
pleasure　that　I　feel　is　much　better　than　having　a　jewel　in　one's
head。〃

And　it　was　just　she　who　had　the　jewel。　That　jewel　was　the
continual　striving　and　desire　to　go　upward…　ever　upward。　It　gleamed　in
her　head；　gleamed　in　joy；　beamed　brightly　in　her　longing。

Then；　suddenly；　up　came　the　Stork。　He　had　seen　the　Toad　in　the
grass；　and　stooped　down　and　seized　the　little　creature　anything　but
gently。　The　Stork's　beak　pinched　her；　and　the　wind　whistled；　it　was
not　exactly　agreeable；　but　she　was　going　upward…　upward　towards　Egypt…　and　she　knew　it；　and　that　was　why　her　eyes　gleamed；　and　a　spark　seemed　to　fly　out　of　them。

〃Quunk！…　ah！〃

The　body　was　dead…　the　Toad　was　killed！　But　the　spark　that　had
shot　forth　from　her　eyes；　what　became　of　that？

The　sunbeam　took　it　up；　the　sunbeam　carried　the　jewel　from　the
head　of　the　toad。　Whither？

Ask　not　the　naturalist；　rather　ask　the　poet。　He　will　tell　it
thee　under　the　guise　of　a　fairy　tale；　and　the　Caterpillar　on　the
cabbage；　and　the　Stork　family　belong　to　the　story。　Think！　the
Caterpillar　is　changed；　and　turns　into　a　beautiful　butterfly；　the
Stork　family　flies　over　mountains　and　seas；　to　the　distant　Africa；　and
yet　finds　the　shortest　way　home　to　the　same　country…　to　the　same　roof。

Nay；　that　is　almost　too　improbable；　and　yet　it　is　true。　You　may　ask
the　naturalist；　he　will　confess　it　is　so；　and　you　know　it　yourself；
for　you　have　seen　it。

But　the　jewel　in　the　head　of　the　toad？
Seek　it　in　the　sun；　see　it　there　if　you　can。
The　brightness　is　too　dazzling　there。　We　have　not　yet　such　eyes　as
can　see　into　the　glories　which　God　has　created；　but　we　shall　receive
them　by…and…by；　and　that　will　be　the　most　beautiful　story　of　all；
and　we　shall　all　have　our　share　in　it。

THE　END

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Written　By　Anderson