Character Index | Proverb Index
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| Character Index | Proverb Index |
Townsend version
A shepherd, keeping watch over his sheep near the shore, saw the Sea very calm and smooth, and longed to make a voyage with a view to commerce. He sold all his flock, invested it in a cargo of dates, and set sail. But a very great tempest came on, and the ship being in danger of sinking, he threw all his merchandise overboard, and barely escaped with his life in the empty ship. Not long afterwards when someone passed by and observed the unruffled calm of the Sea, he interrupted him and said, "It is again in want of dates, and therefore looks quiet."
L'Estrange version (A Shepherd Turn'd Merchant)
A countryman was feeding his flock by the seaside, and it was so delicate a fine day, that the smoothness of the water tempted him to leave his shepherds bus'ness, and set up for a merchant. So that in all hast, he puts off his stock; buys a bargain of figs; gets his freight abord, and away presently to sea. It happened to be very foul weather: so that the mariners were fain to cast their whole lading over-bord, to save themselves and the vessel. Upon this miscarriage, our new merchant-adventurer betook himself to his old trade again; and it happen'd one day, as he was tending his sheep upon the very same coast, to be just such a flattering tempting sea again, as that which had betray'd him before. Yes, yes, says he, when the devil's blind! You'd ha' some more figs, with a vengeance, wou'd ye?
Moral
Men may be happy in all estates if they will but suit their minds to their condition. A shepherd may be as easy in a cottage, as a prince in a palace, with a mind suited to his station; but if they will be launching out into trade, or bus'ness that they do not understand, they have nothing left them to trust to when they are once bewilder'd but the hope of some kind providence to put them in the right way home again.
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Tom Simondi, All Rights Reserved