The Foolishness of Unpreparedness
Bishop Hall tells of a certain nobleman who kept a fool, to whom he one day gave a staff, with a charge to keep it till he should meet with a greater fool than himself. Not many years after the nobleman fell sick, even unto death. The fool came to see him. His sick lord said to him: "I must shortly leave you." "And whither are you going?" said the fool. "Into another world," replied his lordship. "And when will you return, within a month?" "No." "Within a year?" "No." "When, then?" "Never." "Never!" said the fool. "And what provision hast thou made for thy entertainment there whither thou goest?" "None at all." "No!" said the fool; none at all! Here, then, take my staff, for with all my folly I am not guilty of any such folly as this.—Sel.