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Literary
May 8, 1877
Oxford Democrat
Paris, South Paris, Oxford County, Maine
What is this article about?
A German duke places a stone in the road to test his people's helpfulness. Passersby complain but do not remove it. After three weeks, he reveals a reward beneath it, teaching the lesson of self-help and initiative over blame.
Clipping
OCR Quality
98%
Excellent
Full Text
Self-Help.
There was once a German duke who disguised himself, and during the night placed a great stone in the middle of the road, near his palace.
Next morning a sturdy peasant, named Hahns, came that way with his lumbering ox-cart. "O, these lazy people!" said he, "there is this big stone right in the middle of the road, and no one will take the trouble to put it out of the way." And so Hahns went on his way, scolding about the laziness of the people.
Next came a soldier along. He had bright plume waving from his helmet, and a sword dangling by his side, and went singing, merrily on his way. His head was held so far back that he didn't notice the stone, so he stumbled over it. This stopped his song, and he began to storm at the country people, and call them "boors and blockheads, for leaving a huge rock in the road for a gentleman to fall over."
Then he went on.
It lay there for three weeks; and nobody tried to remove it. Then the duke sent round word to all the people on his lands, to meet at a deep cut in the road, called Dornthou, near where this stone lay as he had something to tell them.
The day came, and a great crowd gathered at the Dornthou. Each side of the cut was thronged with people, overlooking the road. Old Hahns, the farmer, was there, and so was Berthold, the merchant.
And now a winding horn was heard, and the people all strained their necks and eyes toward the castle, as a splendid cavalcade came galloping up to the Dornthou. The duke rode into the cut, got down from his horse, and with a pleasing smile began to speak to the people thus:
"My friends, it was I who put this stone here three weeks ago. Every passer by has left it just where it was, and has scolded his neighbor for not taking it out of the way."
When he had spoken these words he stooped down, and lifted up the stone. Directly underneath it, was a round hollow lined with white pebbles, and in the hollow lay a small leathern bag. The duke held it up that all the people might see what was written on it. On a piece of paper, fastened to the bag, were these words, "For him who lifts up the stone." He untied the bag, and turned it upside down, and out fell a beautiful gold ring and twenty large bright golden coins.
Then everybody wished that he had moved the stone, instead of going round it and only blaming his neighbors. They all lost the prize because they had not learned the lesson, or formed the habit of helpfulness.
There was once a German duke who disguised himself, and during the night placed a great stone in the middle of the road, near his palace.
Next morning a sturdy peasant, named Hahns, came that way with his lumbering ox-cart. "O, these lazy people!" said he, "there is this big stone right in the middle of the road, and no one will take the trouble to put it out of the way." And so Hahns went on his way, scolding about the laziness of the people.
Next came a soldier along. He had bright plume waving from his helmet, and a sword dangling by his side, and went singing, merrily on his way. His head was held so far back that he didn't notice the stone, so he stumbled over it. This stopped his song, and he began to storm at the country people, and call them "boors and blockheads, for leaving a huge rock in the road for a gentleman to fall over."
Then he went on.
It lay there for three weeks; and nobody tried to remove it. Then the duke sent round word to all the people on his lands, to meet at a deep cut in the road, called Dornthou, near where this stone lay as he had something to tell them.
The day came, and a great crowd gathered at the Dornthou. Each side of the cut was thronged with people, overlooking the road. Old Hahns, the farmer, was there, and so was Berthold, the merchant.
And now a winding horn was heard, and the people all strained their necks and eyes toward the castle, as a splendid cavalcade came galloping up to the Dornthou. The duke rode into the cut, got down from his horse, and with a pleasing smile began to speak to the people thus:
"My friends, it was I who put this stone here three weeks ago. Every passer by has left it just where it was, and has scolded his neighbor for not taking it out of the way."
When he had spoken these words he stooped down, and lifted up the stone. Directly underneath it, was a round hollow lined with white pebbles, and in the hollow lay a small leathern bag. The duke held it up that all the people might see what was written on it. On a piece of paper, fastened to the bag, were these words, "For him who lifts up the stone." He untied the bag, and turned it upside down, and out fell a beautiful gold ring and twenty large bright golden coins.
Then everybody wished that he had moved the stone, instead of going round it and only blaming his neighbors. They all lost the prize because they had not learned the lesson, or formed the habit of helpfulness.
What sub-type of article is it?
Fable
Prose Fiction
What themes does it cover?
Moral Virtue
What keywords are associated?
Self Help
Moral Tale
Duke
Stone
Reward
Helpfulness
Laziness
Literary Details
Title
Self Help.
Key Lines
"For Him Who Lifts Up The Stone."
They All Lost The Prize Because They Had Not Learned The Lesson, Or Formed The Habit Of Helpfulness.