The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1830-10-20
From the Massachusetts, Journal
DISCONTENT.-AFAR,r

TT0W the massachusetts Journal
DISCONTENT.-A FABLE
once There was fairy that had more beney.
| o!ent and enlarged views than most of her sne.
cles' She said her people had done very wrong
Ia cohining all their gifts to mankind, who had
aTng since ceased to be worthy of their glass
sippers, magic rings, wonderful mirrors and
pretty little luckpence; her heart burned TO be
OF service to the brute creation So she stem
pea up to COW, which was grazing by the wav
eide. Cow" said she, what do YOU wish
4oi ili"S1 IN tie rhele -r--A2 If yari will fell
me, you shall have it." The fairy was not
much bigger than grass hopper and the old
COW thought it was very presum 2tuous in her
to pretend to have so much power. Hovev.
er, there is no telling" thong ht the COW 4" for
those little mosquitoes that do me so much
mischief are great deal smaller than she is
Then the COW said, 4" If | might have my wish,
| would be bird. dc not like TO be tied I'D
in the barn every night, and never to be allow
ed to go but into one pasture. The birds have
no troubles; they are free and happy They
| can fly away from danger, and in winter they
can warm themselves by the sun. Then they
are at liberty to go all round the world, and
gather Information from every country. | am
weary of this life of servitude and sameness"
When the fairy heard these words, she touched
her with her little wand and the COW changed
to bird, and flew merrily away. Soon after,
| the fairy met a robin: and she said, 4" Pretty
robin, what should you most like in the world p
al should like to be whale, said the bird
81 think it is very degrading to be such little
mite OF creature as / am; l always look on
! every thing large with envy. Besides, should
! like TO live away down under the water, be-
! cause | should be so safe there hawks could
not ind me, nor the guns of cruel men reach
me-" The fairy thought he was foolish bird
but she did as be wished her. and he plunged
! into the water with mighty noise AS The
larry stood by the sea shore, she saw another
great whale, aiar off; and she Jumped into an
Argonaut shell, and went TO the whale, to ask
him if he was happy. No am not" replied
the whale; but | am should be, if
/ had been made a horse, instead of being a
whale. Those beautiful creatures do not have
to wait upon themselves they are fed and
tended, and their coats brushed to shine like
the sun No harpooners pursue them NO
sword.fish and thresher unite to torment them ::
| they live in plenty, and die in p, s:efui old
age. 1t is very strange" said the fairy,
that every one should be unhappy where God
! mas placed them; how true it is that each one
knows his own sorrows better than another"
! she granted the whale his WISH and flew awav,
well contented that she had that day done three
! benevolent actions.
I The next year, the kind-hearted fairy sought
out tho creatures she had CHANGED, and asked
them If they were happy. ''Oh, | was very
slly, sdId lhe COW, when i changed the
petty troubles had known and tried. for great
| er ones had never heard Of / was fool to
think there was more freedom in the air, than
on the earth. l have lived in perpetual terror,
OF the hawks and the guns. When | was a
cow, used to have my calves to play with at
least, for while but now the cruel boys steal
my eggs before they are hatched Oh, wish
were COW again, with nothing TO do, but to
give portion of my milk, which can spare
| met xxyatlo NOT G.
able lodging" The fairy changed her to
cows and the grass tasted sweeter to her than
IT ever did. Upon inquiry, it was found that
lne others were as unhappy as she had been.
| The whale, wounded by sword fish, and pursu-
&c ny harpoons, was dying to breathe the sweet
air OF heaven once more and to build its nest
among the green summer boughs while the
horse, whipped and goaded during the day, and
tied up through the night, loHged for the free
dom of the waves again
MORAL. And thus it is with mortals. Eve.
ry one wishes to be what he is NOT. The Moor
man thinks that poverty is peculiar for its trials
and temptations that if he were rich, he should
certainly be good, benevolent, and happy The
rich, IN the midst of his possessions, is often
weary of world that has no new excitement
to offer fretted by ten thousand claims on his
generosity embittered by ingratitude and
sckened with the heartless fattery of contend
ing hens. The uneducated man enyies the
idol of literary fame; every thing seems bright
| and golden in his path and he does not know
| how often the darling of popular favor mourns
for the peaceful spirit of the unambitious, and
the untroubled faith of the ignorant-how often
he despses the friendship, which he sees is but
a selfish desire for temporary importnnce-and
how, in very heart sickness, he shrinks from
the publicity which the world loiu heap upon
| HIM, and the rancorous luminosity it is sure to
bring in its train. Content is the whole of Wis
dom-the amount of all philosophy. Every
| class of mankind has an equal share of happi-
ness; and if we do not believe it, it is because
we nave more distinct knowledge of our own
troubles, than of any others. We may believe
that if We could exchange places with the
wealthy and the celebrated, ics should have
philosophy enough to avoid their restlessness
and languor; but We deceive ourselves Nor
tails cannot escape mingled destiny For
wise purposes, there is drop of bitterness at
! the fountain; it mixes with all the waters of
| life and whether we drink from an earthern
or golden cup, We cannot escape our portion.
From Ike TricOlor.