The Flies and the Spiders.
“Why has God created the flies and spiders?” a young prince often said to himself; “such insects are of no use to man; and, had I the power, I would cause them to disappear from the earth.” One day, during the war, this prince was obliged to flee before the enemy. At night, being very much fatigued, he lay down under a tree in the middle of the forest, and soon fell fast asleep. He was discovered by one of the enemy’s soldiers, who glided softly up to him, sword in hand, intending to kill him. At this moment, a fly suddenly alighted on the cheek of the prince, and stung him so sharply that he awoke. He started up, drew his sword, and fought with the soldier, and at last escaped. Then the prince went and hid himself in a cavern in the same forest. During the night a spider spun her web across the entrance. Two soldiers, who were in search of the fugitive prince, came so near the cave that he could hear their conversation. “Look,” said one, “no doubt he is hidden here.” “No,” replied the other, “he could not have entered there without tearing the spider’s web.” As soon as they had gone the prince cried out with emotion, raising his hands to heaven: “Oh, my God! what a gratitude do I not owe thee? Thou didst save my life yesterday by means of a fly, and to-day thou hast preserved it by means of a spider. Truly, there are use and purpose in the works of thy creation.”—From the German.