When Winthrop Farble happened to make a great discovery one day, he felt certain that the world would be waiting to hear about it. He believed that it was too great a discovery to keep to himself. He decided to go downtown and stand on the steps of the city hall, so that he could announce his discovery to the public.
"I have a great discovery to announce," Winthrop said, loudly and excitedly, as he stood on the steps. "I have discovered that water is wet!"
Winthrop was surprised to see that no one appeared to be impressed by his great discovery. People passed by him and, aside from casting funny looks in his direction, offered no response at all.
"Perhaps I did not make myself entirely clear," Winthrop said, more loudly and more excitedly than before, as people continued to walk by. "I have discovered that water is, generally and in almost every instance, thoroughly and completely wet!"
Winthrop could not understand the lack of interest in his great discovery. He returned to his home and gave serious thought to the situation. Where had he gone wrong? How could the public have failed to respond? He concluded that it would be of no use to announce his other discoveries.
"I am not going to waste my time telling the public that ice is cold and fire is hot," Winthrop said. "They will have to find out for themselves."
WINTHROP LOSES HIS MIND
Winthrop Farble had a bad habit of losing things. Over the years, he had lost a number of small items. One day, through what he presumed to be sheer carelessness on his part, he lost his mind.
"My mind was there yesterday," Winthrop said. "At least, I think it was there. Now it appears to have vanished."
Winthrop knew that his mind always had tended to wander. It was not, therefore, a particular surprise that his mind had become lost. He rebuked himself for not keeping a closer eye on his mind. He tried to remember when and where he had been using his mind before it disappeared, but his memory failed him.
"It seems that losing a mind is much easier than finding one," he said, fearing that he might have to spend the rest of his life in a state of mindlessness.
Winthrop did finally succeed in finding his mind, much to his relief. It turned out that, rather than being lost, his mind had taken a brief vacation without telling him.
"My mind was there yesterday," Winthrop said. "At least, I think it was there. Now it appears to have vanished."
Winthrop knew that his mind always had tended to wander. It was not, therefore, a particular surprise that his mind had become lost. He rebuked himself for not keeping a closer eye on his mind. He tried to remember when and where he had been using his mind before it disappeared, but his memory failed him.
"It seems that losing a mind is much easier than finding one," he said, fearing that he might have to spend the rest of his life in a state of mindlessness.
Winthrop did finally succeed in finding his mind, much to his relief. It turned out that, rather than being lost, his mind had taken a brief vacation without telling him.
WINTHROP'S GARDEN
Winthrop Farble did not have a green thumb. He possessed many favorable qualities, but an ability to make things grow was not among them.
"Flowers wither if I so much as look in their direction," Winthrop said. "Vegetables expire as soon as I plant them. I cannot even grow a healthy weed."
Winthrop had tried to grow everything from roses to rutabagas, always with unfortunate results. Knowing that he was descended from a long line of expert gardeners made him feel even worse. He became completely distraught, and felt unworthy to carry the family name.
It was only when Winthrop abandoned his hopeless attempts to make things grow and turned his interest toward rocks that he began to succeed as a gardener. A garden filled with rocks was not as colorful as a garden filled with flowers, or as useful as garden filled with vegetables, but it was much easier to maintain.
"Rocks are better than flowers or vegetables," Winthrop said. "They never need to be watered."
"Flowers wither if I so much as look in their direction," Winthrop said. "Vegetables expire as soon as I plant them. I cannot even grow a healthy weed."
Winthrop had tried to grow everything from roses to rutabagas, always with unfortunate results. Knowing that he was descended from a long line of expert gardeners made him feel even worse. He became completely distraught, and felt unworthy to carry the family name.
It was only when Winthrop abandoned his hopeless attempts to make things grow and turned his interest toward rocks that he began to succeed as a gardener. A garden filled with rocks was not as colorful as a garden filled with flowers, or as useful as garden filled with vegetables, but it was much easier to maintain.
"Rocks are better than flowers or vegetables," Winthrop said. "They never need to be watered."
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