The Mole and His Mother

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The Mole and His Mother

Nobody would notice imperfections if people did not try to conceal them.

A Mole, a creature normally blind from birth, once said to his Mother, "I know I can see."

His Mother placed a few grains of strong-smelling frankincense in front of him and asked, "What is it?"

The young Mole said, "It is a pebble."

His Mother exclaimed, "My son, I am afraid you are not only blind, but you have lost your sense of smell as well."

Townsend version

A Mole, a creature blind from birth, once said to his Mother: "I am sure than I can see, Mother!" In the desire to prove to him his mistake, his Mother placed before him a few grains of frankincense, and asked, "What is it?' The young Mole said, "It is a pebble." His Mother exclaimed: "My son, I am afraid that you are not only blind, but that you have lost your sense of smell.

L'Estrange version

Mother (says a mole to her damm) here's a strange smell methinks. And then she was at it again, There's a mulberrytree, I perceive. And so a third time, What a clattering of hammers do I hear. Daughter says the old one, you have now quite betray'd your self; for I thought you had wanted only one sense, and now I find you want three; for you can neither hear nor smell any more then you can see.

Moral

Men labour under many imperfections that no body would take notice of, if they themselves were not over-sollicitous to conceal them.

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