very good things. Whang, the foolish miller, when he wanted a farthing in his distress, found that no friends would lend it to him. Did you ever read the story of Whang in our books of Chinese learning — of him who, 5 despising small sums, and grasping only at large sums, lost even what he had? Whang, the miller, was naturally avaricious. Nobody loved money better than he, or respected more those who had it. When people would talk in company 10 of a rich man, Whang would say, "I know him very well; he and I have been long acquainted; he and I are intimate." But if a poor man was ever mentioned, he had not the least knowledge of the man; he might be very well for aught he knew; but he was not fond 15 of many acquaintances, and loved to choose his company. Whang, however, with all his eagerness for riches, was in reality. poor. He had nothing but the profits of his mill to support him. But though these were 20 small, they were certain. So long as his mill continued to run, he was sure of a living; and his frugality was such, that each day he laid by some money, which he would at intervals count and contemplate with much satisfaction. Yet still his acquisitions were not equal 25 to his desires. He found himself merely above want, whereas he desired to be rich. One day, as he was indulging these wishes, he was informed that a neighbor of his had found a pan of money under ground, having dreamed of it three nights in succession. These tidings were daggers to the heart of poor Whang. "Here am I," says he, "toiling and moiling from morning till night for a few paltry farthings, while neighbor Hunks goes quietly to bed and dreams himself into thousands before morning. Oh, 5 that I could dream like him! With what pleasure I would dig around the pan! How slyly would I carry it home-not even my wife should see me! And then, oh, the pleasure of thrusting one's hand into a heap of gold up to the elbow!" 10 Such reflections served only to make the miller unhappy. He discontinued his former industry, becoming quite disgusted with small gains, and his customers began to forsake him. Every day he repeated the wish, and every night laid himself down in order to 15 dream. Fortune, which had been for a long time unkind, at last, however, seemed to smile upon his distresses, and indulged him with the wished-for vision. He dreamed that, under a certain part of the foundation of his mill, there was concealed a monstrous pan 20 of gold and diamonds, buried deep in the ground and covered with a large, flat stone. He rose up, thanked the stars that were at last pleased to take pity on his sufferings, and concealed his good luck from every person, as is usual in money dreams, in order to 25 have the vision repeated the two succeeding nights, by which he should be certain of its veracity. His wishes in this also were answered. He still dreamed of the same pan of money, in the very same place. Now, therefore, it was beyond doubt that he was to become the possessor of a large sum of money. So getting up early the third morning, he repaired, alone with a mattock in his hand, to the mill, and began to 5 undermine that part of the wall to which the vision directed. The first omen of success that he met was a broken mug. Digging still deeper, he turned up a house tile, quite new and entire. At last, after much digging, he came to the broad, flat stone, but so large 10 that it was beyond one man's strength to remove it. "Here," cried he, in raptures, to himself, "here it is! Under this stone there is room for a very large pan of diamonds indeed! I must go home to my wife and tell her the whole affair, and get her to assist me in turning 15 it up." Away, therefore, he went, and acquainted his wife with every circumstance of their good fortune. Her delight on this occasion may be easily imagined. She flew round his neck, and embraced him in an agony of 20 joy. But these raptures, however, did not delay their eagerness to know the exact sum. Returning speedily together to the place where Whang had been digging, they found there, not, indeed, the expected treasure but the mill, their only support, undermined and fallen. QUESTIONS AND SUGGESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION 1. How is Fortune pictured in painting and sculpture? that she should not be pictured in this way? 2. Why does Goldsmith think 3. Where may she be found? 4. Tell the story of "Acres of 17. How does Goldsmith tell us Diamonds." 5. Tell, in your own way, the 8. story of Whang, the Miller. 6. Why did the men in both these stories fail to find fortune? to find our fortunes? Apply the story of Whang to yourself, and tell it to the class. Oliver Goldsmith, the author of "Whang, the Miller," was born in Pallas, Ireland, in 1728. He was the son of " the village preacher." He wrote many beautiful stories, plays, and poems. You will learn more about him in a later reader of this series. Goldsmith died in 1774, aged forty-five. Who thinks that Fortune cannot change her mind, ALEXANDER POPE Fortune gives too much to many, enough to none. MARTIAL Men are seldom blessed with good fortune and good sense at the same time. LIVY |