Once upon a time there came to this earth a visitor from a neighbouring planet. And he was met at the place of his descert by a great
philosopher,who was to show him everything.
First of all they came through a wood, and the
stranger looked upon the trees. "Whom have we here?"said he. "these are only vegetables,"said the philosopher. "they are alive, but not at all
interesting."
"I
don''t
know about that," said the stranger. "they seems to have very good manners.Do they never speak?"
"they lack the gift",said the philosopher.
"yet I
think I hear them sing,"said the other.
"That is only the wind among the leaves," said the philosopher. "I will explain to you the theory of winds: it is very interesting."
"Well", said the stranger, "I wish I knew what they are thinking"."They can not think", said the philosopher. "I don''t know about that", returned the stranger: and then, laying his hand upon a trunk:"I like these people ", he said.
"they are not people at all", said the pholosopher. "Come along".
Next they came through a meadow where there were cows. "they are very dirty people ", said the stanger."they are not people at all",said the other;and he explained what a cow is in scientific words.
"that is all one to me",said the stranger. "But why do they don''t
look up ?" "Because they are graminivorous", said the philosopher;"and tho live upon grass, which is not highly nutritious ,requires so close an attention to business that they have no time to think, or look at the scenery,or keep themselves clean."
"Well", said the stranger ,"that is one way to live, no doubt. But I prefer the people with the green heads". Next they ame into a city, and the streets were full of men and women."These very odd people",said the stranger. "they are the people of the greatest nation in the world", said the philosopher.
"are they indeed?" said the stranger. "they scarcely look so".
More reviews about the The Distinguished Stranger