"A bad case of cancer," was the complacent reply.
"Good!" returned the doctor; "I'll cure you, my friend."
So saying, he conducted his facetious patient into the kitchen, and potted him in pickle. It cured him—of practical jocularity.
May the fable heal you, if you are afflicted with that form of evil.
XCIII.
A certain magician owned a learned pig, who had lived a cleanly gentlemanly life, achieving great fame, and winning the hearts of all the people. But perceiving he was not happy, the magician, by a process easily explained did space permit, transformed him into a man. Straightway the creature abandoned his cards, his timepiece, his musical instruments, and all other devices of his profession, and betook him to a pool of mud, wherein he inhumed himself to the tip of his nose.
"Ten minutes ago," said the magician reprovingly, "you would have scorned to do an act like that."
"True," replied the biped, with a contented grunt; "I was then a learned pig; I am now a learned man."
XCIV.
"Nature has been very kind to her creatures," said a giraffe to an elephant. "For example, your neck being so very short, she has given you a proboscis wherewith to reach your food; and I having no proboscis, she has bestowed upon me a long neck."