The Legend of the Two Sacks
An ancient legend describes an old man traveling from place to place with a sack hanging behind his back, and another in front of him. In the one behind him he tossed the kind deeds of his friends, which were soon quite hidden from view, and forgotten. In the one hanging around his neck, under his chin, he threw all the sins which his acquaintances committed, and these he was in the habit of turning over and looking at as he walked along day by day, which naturally hindered his course. One day, to his surprise, he met a man coming slowly along, also wearing two sacks. “What have you here?” asked the old man. “Why, my good deeds,” replied Number Two. “I keep all these before me, and take them out and air them frequently.” “What is in the other big sack?” asked the first traveler. “It seems weighty.” “Merely my little mistakes. I always keep them in the sack hanging over my back.” Presently the two travelers were joined by a third, who, strange to say, also carried two sacks,—one under his chin, and one on his back. “Let us see the contents of your sacks,” exclaimed the first two travelers. “With all my heart,” quoth the stranger. For I have a goodly assortment, and I like to show them. This sack,” said he, pointing to the one under his chin, “is full of good deeds of others.” “Your sacks look full. They must be very heavy,” observed the old man. “There you are mistaken,” replied the stranger; “they are big, but not heavy. The weight is only such as sails are to a ship. Far from being a burden, it helps me onward.” “Well, your sack behind can be of little use to you,” said Number Two, “for it appears to be empty, and I see that it has a great hole in the bottom of it.” “I did that on purpose,” said the stranger; “for all the evil I hear of people I put in there, and it falls through and is lost. So, you see, I have no weight to draw me backwards.”—Exchange.