Education. No school? You have visited the hardest school in the world, the school ruled by the sternest teacher in the world—the School of Experience. Fortunate are they who learn from the experience of the past and the experience of others.
As Education speaks, her light is cast for a moment on the tax paper. Any City glances at the paper and tries to conceal it. With a beckoning gesture Education leads him again behind the curtain.
Second Glimmer: Tradition
Characters
Old Woman, and several maidens
They are seated in an almost closed circle, each grinding grain between two flat stones. Above them hangs the light. They are dressed in Oriental costume, the bright colors of which serve as a background to the gray stones. They grind with a rhythmic movement, humming a monotonous tune. Gradually one of the maidens stops and gazes dreamily toward the light.
Old Woman. Get thee to thy work, maiden. Thinkst thou idle fingers and dreaming eyes will grind the corn?
Maiden (with hand on upper stone as if ready to resume work, but with eyes toward the light, which glows brighter as she speaks). I was but wondering if there be not some better way to grind the corn.
Old Woman. Better way to grind the corn, she says! She means easier way—an easier way for her own idle self! Shame upon thee, thou lazy maiden! Shame upon thee, thou presumptuous maiden! Thinkst thou that in thy foolish mind lies the wisdom of the earth? Had there been a better way, would not our fathers, the wise men of the land, have discovered that way and handed it down to us? Have not the women of our country from generation to generation ground their corn in this way? If this way were good enough for them, it is good enough for us! Thinkst thou that thou art better or wiser than they? I have no patience with thy dreams, born of thine own laziness! Get to work, maiden, and let me hear no more of thy better ways! Better ways, forsooth!