Fables for the Fair/Fable 13
THE WOMAN WHO TOOK THINGS LITERALLY
THE WOMAN WHO TOOK THINGS LITERALLY
THERE was once a Woman who Invited a Celebrated Scientist to Take Tea with her. After Tea a Beggar came to the Door and Asked for a Meal. She remembered the Last Page of the Celebrated Scientist's last Essay, and addressed the Beggar thus:
"While I Regret to see you Suffering from Hunger, I Realize that I Injure Society more in Catering to Your Idleness than I Hurt my Feelings in Refusing your intrinsically Vicious Request." And she Sent him Away.
"Great Heavens!" cried the Celebrated Scientist. "It is Hard Enough for Me to act Thus, and I am Forced to in Order to be Consistent. But a Woman, whose Every Instinct should be Charity and Sympathy Incarnate—it is Disgusting!"
This teaches us that What is Sauce for the Gander may be Saucy for the Goose.