THE OAK AND THE VINE
To a stalwart oak a fragile vine
With its helpless tendrils clung,
And looking up saw the sunbeams shine
The lofty boughs among,
But never content with its low estate,
Longed like the oak to be noble and great.
With its helpless tendrils clung,
And looking up saw the sunbeams shine
The lofty boughs among,
But never content with its low estate,
Longed like the oak to be noble and great.
Longed to arise from the dark and damp,
Of the thicket where it grew;
Bask in the light of the sky's bright lamp
And revel 'neath seas of blue;
But the poor little vine, unsought, unknown,
Was too weak to even stand alone.
Of the thicket where it grew;
Bask in the light of the sky's bright lamp
And revel 'neath seas of blue;
But the poor little vine, unsought, unknown,
Was too weak to even stand alone.
The stately oak felt her clinging touch
And bowed his haughty head;
But he felt too proud to speak to such
A little thing, so he said:
"Only a little vine, so small
Without my aid it would surely fall."
And bowed his haughty head;
But he felt too proud to speak to such
A little thing, so he said:
"Only a little vine, so small
Without my aid it would surely fall."
But the oak's gaunt trunk was rough and bare,
Gnarled and disfigured by time,
And wishing still to be young and fair,
He let the grapevine climb,
Saying: "Helpless vine so far beneath,
You may twine my bark with a glossy wreath."
Gnarled and disfigured by time,
And wishing still to be young and fair,
He let the grapevine climb,
Saying: "Helpless vine so far beneath,
You may twine my bark with a glossy wreath."
Gladly the vine performed its task
Nor sighed for a higher lot,
Nor paused in its humble work to ask
What glory its service brought;
For, though it was neither great nor high,
Was it not nearing the lovely sky?
Nor sighed for a higher lot,
Nor paused in its humble work to ask
What glory its service brought;
For, though it was neither great nor high,
Was it not nearing the lovely sky?
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