COLUMBUS DAY
(OCTOBER 12)
COLUMBUS AND THE EGG
BY JAMES BALDWIN (ADAPTED) [8]
8 ([return])
[ 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:—