A LESSON FROM THE SNAIL.


THERE are very many different kinds of snails, and they are found in almost every part of the world. Some of them do great harm by eating the tender plants in gardens; some are useful to man, being used for food in Italy and other countries.

As you see in the picture, the snail carries his house, or shell, on his back when traveling. 

When at rest he can draw his whole body into his tiny dwelling. The eyes of this little creature arc in the two long horns, or " feelers," one at the end of each. He has no feet, or, rather, the under-side of his body may be called one foot, on which he drags himself along on the ground or wall. 

The saying, "As slow as a snail," has come to be almost a proverb; yet a useful lesson may be learned from even this plodding little creature. Here is a story, showing what a little boy in England was taught by a snail: 

"What can be the trouble, Ned?" said Mrs. Blair to her little son, who, with a book in his hand, and tears in his eyes, sat near a wall at the back of the house.

"We all have a poem to learn," answered the boy;" and the one who says it best is to get a prize from the Squire. 

But I don't think I can learn it." 

"Why not? " inquired his mother. 

"The boys say I can't, and that I need not try," said Ned in a sad tone.

"Don't mind what the boys say;

let them see that you can learn it," replied 

Mrs. Blair.

"But I don't think I can," said Ned; 

"it is so long, and some of the words are so hard! I know that I need not try for the prize; but I would like to learn the poem, for the boys laugh at me, and call me 'Slow Ned.'"

"Well, dear," said the lady, "if you are slow, and can't help it, try to be 'slow and sure' Look at that snail on the wall; how slow it is! And yet, if you watch it, you will see that it will get to the top in time. 

So just try to learn a few lines each day, and you may gain the prize in the end."

When Mrs. Blair had said this, she went into the house. And Ned thought that though he could not keep up with the boys, he might run a race with the snail; so he made up his mind to try to learn the first verse of the poem by the time the snail had reached the top of the wall. When the day came, on which the prize was to be given, Squire Bruce went to the school to hear the boys repeat the poem; and when five or six had recited, it cameNed's turn. There was a slight laugh when he got up; for most of the boys thought he would fail. But he did not miss a word; and his heart was full of joy when he heard the Squire say, "Well done, Ned Blair!" When the rest of the class 

had tried, the Squire said Ned had done 

best; and he gave him the prize.

"And now tell me," said the Squire, who 

had heard that Ned was slow to learn, "how 

did you learn the poem and recite it so 

much better than the others?"

"Please, sir, it was the snail on the wall 

that taught me how to do it," said Ned.

There was a loud laugh at this; but the 

Squire said, "You need not laugh, boys; 

for we may learn much, even from a snail. 

How did the snail teach you, Ned?"

"I saw it crawl up the wall bit by bit. 

It did not stop, nor turn back, but went 

straight on and on. And I thought I 

would do the same with my task. So I 

learned it bit by bit, and did not give up; 

by the time the snail had got to the top 

of the wall, I had learned the first verse, 

and then I kept at work, day after day, 

till I had learned it all."

"Well done, Ned!" said the Squire. 

"Now, boys, let us give a good cheer for 

Ned Blair and the snail on the wall." And 

the old house rang with a loud, long cheer; 

for all were glad that "Slow Ned" had 

won a prize at last. 





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