se to try."
Then he explained to Jonas the difficulties that he had met with.

"True," said Jonas; "I see. I advise you to give it up."

"Yes," said Rollo, "the wood is so hard."

"O, no," said Jonas; "_that_ is no great trouble--you could easily
manage that."

"But then I can't hold it."

"That is of no consequence either. I could tell you a way to hold it
well enough."

"What is the reason, then, why you think I had better give up?"

"Because you have not patience enough."

Rollo stood silent and thoughtful as Jonas said this, with his piece of
wood in one hand, and his hatchet in the other.

"It takes a great deal of patience to make a thing which we never made
before."

"Why?" said Rollo.

"O, because there are always unforeseen difficulties. We don't know
exactly how to do it, and are apt to make mistakes; and so we spoil some
of our work, and this makes us impatient and fretful."

"But I could not help coming to you," said Rollo, "when I found I could
not sharpen my wedge."

"I did not blame you for coming to me," said Jonas.

"But you said I was impatient."

"Yes, but not for coming to me--I judged by your looks and tone of
voice. Now if you can keep good-natured and pleasant, so as to go on
steadily and patiently, difficulties or no difficulties, I will help you
by my advice; otherwise, I think you had better give up the plan."

Rollo stood a few minutes leaning on the door, and swinging it back and
forth a little. He seemed to be in doubt whether to be good-natured or
not. At length, the better feelings triumphed, and he said,

"Well, Jonas I will try. How can I hold my wedge while I sharpen it?"

"You must not saw it off until it is all sharpened and smoothed. By that
means, you see, the long end of the stick, that you make it from, will
serve for a handle."

"So it will," said Rollo; "I never thought of that."

So Rollo went off in pursuit of the stick from which he had sawed off
his first wedge, intending to make another upon the end of it, and then
saw it off when it was all ready.

He found that now he could hold his wood very easily, and there was no
danger of cutting his fingers. So he could strike much heavier blows. He
soon sharpened his wedge, and then carried it to Jonas to ask him if he
thought it would do.

"No," said Jonas, "I don't think it will do, very well."

"Won't it?" asked Rollo, looking somewhat disappointed.

"Why, you see the sides are not smooth; and then