Sham S. Misri
On the 12th of October, 1492, Christopher Columbus discovered America. It
had taken him eighteen years in planning his first voyage which he made across
the Atlantic Ocean. He had talked and argued with sailors and scholars and
princes and kings, saying, "I know that, by sailing west across the great
ocean, one may at last reach lands that have never been visited by
Europeans." But he had been laughed at as a foolish dreamer. Some people
had less faith in his projects.
It was, however, the king and queen of Spain gave him ships with which
to make the trial voyage. He crossed the ocean and discovered strange lands,
inhabited by a people unlike any that had been known before. He believed that
these lands were a part of India.
When he returned home with the news of his discovery there was great
rejoicing. He was hailed as the hero who had given a new world to Spain. Crowds
of people lined the streets through which he passed, and all were anxious to do
him honour. The king and queen welcomed him to their palace and listened with
pleasure to the story of his voyage. No common man was ever shown such a great
respect. There were people who praised him.
But there were some who were jealous of him. They were jealous of his
discovery. They were ready to find fault
with him.
"Who is this Columbus?" they asked, "and what has he
done? Is he not a pauper pilot from Italy? And could not any other seaman sail
across the ocean just as he has done?"
One day Columbus was at a dinner which a Spanish gentleman had given in
his honour, and several of these persons were present. They were proud,
conceited fellows, and they very soon began to try to make Columbus
uncomfortable.
"You have discovered strange lands beyond the sea," they said.
"But what of that? We do not see why there should be so much said about
it. Anybody can sail across the ocean; and anybody can coast along the islands
on the other side, just as you have done. It is the simplest thing in the
world."
Columbus was sad
and disappointed. He made no answer. He thought for a while; but after a while
he took an egg from a dish and said to the company, "Who among you,
gentlemen, can make this egg stand on end?"
One by one those at the table tried the experiment. When the egg had
gone entirely around and none had succeeded, all said that it could not be
done.
Then Columbus took the egg and struck its small end gently upon the
table so as to break the shell a little. After that there was no trouble in
making it stand upright.
"Gentlemen," said he, "what is easier than to do this
which you said was impossible? It is the simplest thing in the world. Anybody
can do it—after he has been shown how."
