Aesop's Fables Edited by Charles Stikeney.

 
THE OAK AND THE REED
 
ON the bank of a river grew a tall Oak Tree.
It  stood  with  its roots firm in the  ground,
and its head high in the air, and said to itself:
   "How  strong  I  am!  Nothing shall  make
me bow. I look down upon all the other trees."
   But one day there was a storm.  The  terri-
ble  unseen wind came  and  struck  the proud
Oak.  Crash! went the trunk,  down  came  all
the beautiful  branches, and the Tree fell  into
the  river.  As  the  water  carried  it away, it
passed  by   a  Reed  that  grew  on  the bank.
The little  Reed  stood up tall and slender, and
looked at the poor broken Tree.
   "O Reed," said the Tree, "how did it happen
that  you  were  not broken down and  spoiled
when  the wind came?   You  are  so  little and
weak, and I was so strong and proud."
   "Ah!  poor  Tree," said  the  Reed, "that  is
just the reason that the wind did not hurt me.
I bent low until it had gone by, but you stood
stiff, and tried to stop it on its way.  No  one
can stop the wind.  It must go where it  is sent,
but it will not hurt those  who are not proud
and  stubborn."
 
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