Fables of Aesop and Others — Æsop at Play

ÆSOP AT PLAY.

An Athenian one day found Æsop entertaining himself with a company of little Boys at their childish diversions, and began to jeer and laugh at him for it.

Æsop, who was too much a wag himself to suffer others to ridicule him, took a bow unstrung, and laid it upon the ground.

Then calling the censorious Athenian, Now philosopher, says he, expound the riddle if you can, and tell us what the unstrained bow implies.

The Man, after racking his brains a considerable time to no purpose, at last gave it up, and declared he knew not what to make of it.

Why, says Æsop, smiling, if you keep a bow always bent, it will lose its elasticity presently; but if you let it go slack, it will be fitter for use when you want it.

APPLICATION.

The mind of man is not formed for unremitted attention, nor his body for uninterrupted labour; and both are in this respect like a bow.

We cannot go through any business requiring intense thought, without unbending the mind, any more than we can perform a long journey without refreshing ourselves by due rest at the several stages of it.

Continual labour, as in the case of the bended bow, destroys the elasticity and energy of both body and mind.

It is, therefore, absolutely necessary for the studious man to unbend, and the laborious one to take his rest, or both lose their tone and vigour, and become dull and languid.

It is to remedy these extremes, that pastimes and diversions ought to be kept up, provided they are innocent.

The heart that never tastes of pleasure, shuts up, grows stiff, and is at last incapable of enjoyment.

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