e that little fountain yonder--away yonder in the distant mountain,
shining like a thread of silver through the thick copse, and sparkling
like a diamond in its healthful activity. It is hurrying on with
tinkling feet to bear its tribute to the river. See, it passes a
stagnant pool, and the pool hails it: 'Whither away, master
streamlet?' 'I am going to the river to bear this cup of water God has
given me.' 'Ah, you are very foolish for that: you'll need it before
the summer's over. It has been a backward spring, and we shall have a
hot summer to pay for it--you will dry up then.' 'Well,' said the
streamlet, 'if I am to die so soon, I had better work while the day
lasts. If I am likely to lose this treasure from the heat, I had
better do good with it while I have it.' So on it went, blessing and
rejoicing in its course. The pool smiled complacently at its own
superior foresight, and husbanded all its resources, letting not a
drop steal away.

Soon the midsummer heat came down, and it fell upon the little stream.
But the trees crowded to its brink, and threw out their sheltering
branches over it in the day of adversity, for it brought refreshment
and life to them, and the sun peeped through the branches and smiled
complacently upon its dimpled face, and seemed to say, 'It's not in my
heart to harm you;' and the birds sipped the silver tide, and sung its
praises; the flowers breathed their perfume upon its bosom; the
husbandman's eye always sparkled with joy, as he looked upon the line
of verdant beauty that marked its course through his fields and
meadows; and so on it went, blessing and blessed of all!

And where was the prudent pool? Alas! in its glorious inactivity it
grew sickly and pestilential. The beasts of the field put their lips
to it, but turned away without drinking; the breeze stopped and kissed
it by _mistake_, but shrunk chilled away. It caught the malaria in the
contact, and carried the ague through the region; the inhabitants
caught it and had to move away; and at last, the very frogs cast their
venom upon the pool and deserted it, and heaven, in mercy to man,
smote it with a hotter breath and dried it up!

But did not the little stream exhaust itself? Oh, no? God saw to that.
It emptied its full cup into the river, and the river bore it on to the
sea, and the sea welcomed it, and the sun smiled upon the sea, and the
sea sent up its incense to greet the sun, and the clouds caught in their
capacious bo