It cured him--of practical jocularity.
May the fable heal _you_, if you are afflicted with that form of evil.
XCIII.
A certain magician owned a learned pig, who had lived a cleanly
gentlemanly life, achieving great fame, and winning the hearts of all
the people. But perceiving he was not happy, the magician, by a
process easily explained did space permit, transformed him into a man.
Straightway the creature abandoned his cards, his timepiece, his
musical instruments, and all other devices of his profession, and
betook him to a pool of mud, wherein he inhumed himself to the tip of
his nose.
"Ten minutes ago," said the magician reprovingly, "you would have
scorned to do an act like that."
"True," replied the biped, with a contented grunt; "I was then a
learned pig; I am now a learned man."
XCIV.
"Nature has been very kind to her creatures," said a giraffe to an
elephant. "For example, your neck being so very short, she has given
you a proboscis wherewith to reach your food; and I having no
proboscis, she has bestowed upon me a long neck."
"I think, my good friend, you have been among the theologians," said
the elephant. "I doubt if I am clever enough to argue with you. I can
only say it does not strike me that way.
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