The Oak and the Reed.
A FABLE.
An oak stood on the bank of a river, and growing at its foot was a reed. The oak was aged, and its limbs were torn away by the blasts of years; but still it lifted its head in pride, and looked down with contempt upon the reed.
At last there came a fearful tempest. The oak defied it, but the reed trembled in every fibre. “See,” said the oak, “the advantage of strength and power; see how I resist and triumph!” While it spoke thus, a terrible rush of the gale beset it, its roots gave way, and it fell to the earth with a tremendous crash! But while the oak was thus destroyed in its pride, the humble reed bowed to the blast, and, when this was past, it arose and flourished as before.
Thus it is that the weak and the humble are often safe, when the strong and proud are dashed to the earth. Humility is a great virtue, for it teaches us to submit to the ways of Providence, and not to place a proud dependence on our own strength, which, after all, is but weakness.