The first man intended to go Somewhere, to look at a piece of property which he was considering. The second man was ready to go Anywhere, since he expected to be happy by the way. The third man thought he was going Nowhere, because he was a philosopher and held that time and space are only mental forms.
Therefore the third man walked in silence, reflecting upon the vanity of whiling away an hour which did not exist, and upon the futility of going when staying was the same thing. But the other men, being more simple, were playing the oldest game in the world and giving names to the things that they saw as they travelled.
"Mutton," said the Somewhere Man, as he looked over a stone wall.
"A flock of sheep," said the Anywhere Man, gazing upon the pasture, where the fleecy ewes were nipping grass between the rocks and the eager lambs nuzzled their mothers.
But the Nowhere Man meditated on the foolish habit of eating, and said nothing.
"An ant-hill," said the Anywhere Man, looking at a mound beside the path; "see how busy the citizens are!"
"Pismires," said the Somewhere Man, kicking the mound; "they sting like the devil."
But the Nowhere Man, being certain that the devil is a myth, said nothing.
"Briars," said the Somewhere Man, as they passed through a coppice.
"Blackberries," said the Anywhere Man; "they will blossom next month and ripen in August."