THE GREAT TRAVELLER AND THE GUIDE SETTLE A DISPUTE

At length, the Great Traveller and the Guide came upon a wondrous place, where they could rest after their travails. It was a wooded copse fringing a deep pool, upon which water-lilies floated. At the far end of the copse stood a little arbour and the two weary men took their repose in that. The Great Traveller mopped his brow with a large spotted red handkerchief. “’Tis a hot day,’ he observed. The Guide sat sullenly, gazing out at the pond. “Look at these colours” said the Great Traveller, “Pink azaleas, yellow hypericum and white rhododendron.” The Guide did not reply. “The sky is so blue, the day so warm, does it not lighten your heart to be wandering freely on God’s Earth on such a day?” “Nope” said the Guide. “Why ever not?” enquired the other. “Because while you are mincing about wiping your brow with a spotted handkerchief and trilling on about the weather and the colours and suchlike, I have been dragging around all of your gear, and the burden is not a light one.” “You must not forget that you are my employee” said the Great Traveller, haughtily. “I’m employed as your Guide, not your personal valet and labourer,” replied the Guide. And so saying, he picked up the Great Traveller’s magnificent trunk, and pitched it straight into the pond, where it parted the water-lilies and slowly sank to the bottom. “That’s too bad”, said the Great Traveller, “For I had placed your wages in that trunk.” The peace of the afternoon was soon shattered as the Guide could be observed, furiously paddling in the water, muttering great oaths.