“To be sure I did,” answered her father, with a happy laugh; “and I must have spoken truly, sweetheart, for God in His goodness was willing, and here I am!”

The Wond’rous Wise Man

The Wond’rous Wise Man

    There was a man in our town
    And he was wond’rous wise;
    He jumped into a bramble bush
    And scratched out both his eyes. 
    And when he saw his eyes were out,
    With all his might and main
    He jumped into another bush
    And scratched them in again!

Our town is a quiet little town, and lies nestling in a little valley surrounded by pretty green hills.  I do not think you would ever have heard our town mentioned had not the man lived there who was so wise that everyone marvelled at his great knowledge.

He was not always a wise man; he was a wise boy before he grew to manhood, and even when a child he was so remarkable for his wisdom that people shook their heads gravely and said, “when he grows up there will be no need of books, for he will know everything!”

His father thought he had a wond’rous wise look when he was born, and so he named him Solomon, thinking that if indeed he turned out to be wise the name would fit him nicely, whereas, should he be mistaken, and the boy grow up stupid, his name could be easily changed to Simon.

But the father was not mistaken, and the boy’s name remained Solomon.

When he was still a child Solomon confounded the schoolmaster by asking, one day,

“Can you tell me, sir, why a cow drinks water from a brook?”

“Well really,” replied the abashed schoolmaster, “I have never given the subject serious thought.  But I will sleep upon the question, and try to give you an answer to-morrow.”

“But the schoolmaster could not sleep; he remained awake all the night trying to think why a cow drinks water from a brook, and in the morning he was no nearer the answer than before.  So he was obliged to appear before the wise child and acknowledge that he could not solve the problem.

“I have looked at the subject from every side,” said he, “and given it careful thought, and yet I cannot tell why a cow drinks water from a brook.”

“Sir,” replied the wise child, “it is because the cow is thirsty.”

The shock of this answer was so great that the schoolmaster fainted away, and when they had brought him to he made a prophecy that Solomon would grow up to be a wond’rous wise man.

It was the same way with the village doctor.  Solomon came to him one day and asked,

“Tell me, sir, why has a man two eyes?”

“Bless me!” exclaimed the doctor, “I must think I a bit before I answer, for I have never yet had my attention called to this subject.”

So he thought for a long time, and then he said, “I must really give it up.  I cannot tell, for the life of me, why a man has two eyes.  Do you know?”