Post by Fabel on Feb 26, 2008 5:25:50 GMT -5
Fabel sat on an upturned basket, her long brown skirt flowing around it. There were about ten children sitting around her, listening eagerly.
"A dog of a taciturn disposition said to his Tail:
"Whenever I am angry, you rise and bristle; when I am pleased, you
wag; when I am alarmed, you tuck yourself in out of danger. You
are too mercurial - you disclose all my emotions. My notion is
that tails are given to conceal thought. It is my dearest ambition
to be as impassive as the Sphinx."
"My friend, you must recognise the laws and limitations of your
being," replied the Tail, with flexions appropriate to the
sentiments uttered, "and try to be great some other way. The
Sphinx has one hundred and fifty qualifications for impassiveness
which you lack."
"What are they?" the Dog asked.
"One hundred and forty-nine tons of sand on her tail."
"And - ?"
"A stone tail."
So do not ask for more than you need, otherwise you just might get it and it will not turn out how you expected..." Fabel finished grinning playfully at the children.
She stood up to leave with cries of "More! More!" and walked across the street to a fruit stand. As she was examining the selection which would be her lunch, she heard a voice behind her..
"A dog of a taciturn disposition said to his Tail:
"Whenever I am angry, you rise and bristle; when I am pleased, you
wag; when I am alarmed, you tuck yourself in out of danger. You
are too mercurial - you disclose all my emotions. My notion is
that tails are given to conceal thought. It is my dearest ambition
to be as impassive as the Sphinx."
"My friend, you must recognise the laws and limitations of your
being," replied the Tail, with flexions appropriate to the
sentiments uttered, "and try to be great some other way. The
Sphinx has one hundred and fifty qualifications for impassiveness
which you lack."
"What are they?" the Dog asked.
"One hundred and forty-nine tons of sand on her tail."
"And - ?"
"A stone tail."
So do not ask for more than you need, otherwise you just might get it and it will not turn out how you expected..." Fabel finished grinning playfully at the children.
She stood up to leave with cries of "More! More!" and walked across the street to a fruit stand. As she was examining the selection which would be her lunch, she heard a voice behind her..
