A man staggering wearily through the streets of Persepolis, under a
heavy burden, said to himself:
"I wish I knew what this thing is I have on my back; then I could make
some sort of conjecture as to what I design doing with it."
"Suppose," said the burden, "I were a man in a sack; what disposition
would you make of me?"
"The regular thing," replied the man, "would be to take you over to
Constantinople, and pitch you into the Bosphorus; but I should
probably content myself with laying you down and jumping on you, as
being more agreeable to my feelings, and quite as efficacious."
"But suppose," continued the burden, "I were a shoulder of
beef--which I quite as much resemble--belonging to some poor family?"
"In that case," replied the man, promptly, "I should carry you to my
larder, my good fellow."
"But if I were a sack of gold, do you think you would find me very
onerous?" said the burden.
"A great deal would depend," was the answer, "upon whom you happened
to belong to; but I may say, generally, that gold upon the shoulders
is wonderfully light, considering the weight of it."
"Behold," said the burden, "the folly of mankind: they cannot perceive
that the _quality_ of the burdens of life is a matter of no
importance. The question of pounds and ounces is the only
consideration of any real weight."