COLUMBUS DAY
(OCTOBER 12)
COLUMBUS AND THE EGG
BY JAMES BALDWIN (ADAPTED)[8]
[8] From Thirty More Famous Stories Retold. Copyright, 1903, by
American Book Company.
One day Columbus was at a dinner which a
Spanish gentleman had given in his honor, and
several persons were present who were jealous of
the great admiral's success. They were proud,
conceited fellows, and they very soon began to
try to make Columbus uncomfortable.
``You have discovered strange lands beyond
the seas,'' they said, ``but what of that? We do
not see why there should be so much said about
it. Anybody can sail across the ocean; and
anybody can coast along the islands on the other
side, just as you have done. It is the simplest
thing in the world.''
Columbus made no answer; but after a while
he took an egg from a dish and said to the company:--
``Who among you, gentlemen, can make this
egg stand on end?''
One by one those at the table tried the
experiment. When the egg had gone entirely around
and none had succeeded, all said that it could
not be done.
Then Columbus took the egg and struck its
small end gently upon the table so as to break
the shell a little. After that there was no trouble
in making it stand upright.
``Gentlemen,'' said he, ``what is easier than to
do this which you said was impossible? It is the
simplest thing in the world. Anybody can do
it,--AFTER HE HAS BEEN SHOWN HOW!'' |