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putting your finger in the fire were as pleasant as putting sugar in your
mouth。
My dear child； if I could once get clearly into your head this difference
between Why and How； so that you should remember them steadily in
after life； I should have done you more good than if I had given you a
thousand pounds。
But now that we know that How and Why are two very different
matters； and must not be confounded with each other； let us look for
Madam How； and see her at work making this little glen； for； as I told you；
it is not half made yet。 One thing we shall see at once； and see it more
and more clearly the older we grow； I mean her wonderful patience and
diligence。 Madam How is never idle for an instant。 Nothing is too
great or too small for her； and she keeps her work before her eye in the
same moment； and makes every separate bit of it help every other bit。
She will keep the sun and stars in order； while she looks after poor old Mrs。
Daddy… long…legs there and her eggs。 She will spend thousands of years
in building up a mountain； and thousands of years in grinding it down
again； and then carefully polish every grain of sand which falls from that
mountain； and put it in its right place； where it will be wanted thousands of
years hence； and she will take just as much trouble about that one grain of
sand as she did about the whole mountain。 She will settle the exact place
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MADAM HOW AND LADY WHY
where Mrs。 Daddy… long…legs shall lay her eggs； at the very same time that
she is settling what shall happen hundreds of years hence in a stair
millions of miles away。 And I really believe that Madam How knows her
work so thoroughly； that the grain of sand which sticks now to your shoe；
and the weight of Mrs。 Daddy…long…legs' eggs at the bottom of her hole；
will have an effect upon suns and stars ages after you and I are dead and
gone。 Most patient indeed is Madam How。 She does not mind the least
seeing her own work destroyed； she knows that it must be destroyed。
There is a spell upon her； and a fate； that everything she makes she must
unmake again： and yet； good and wise woman as she is； she never frets；
nor tires； nor fudges her work； as we say at school。 She takes just as
much pains to make an acorn as to make a peach。 She takes just as much
pains about the acorn which the pig eats； as about the acorn which will
grow into a tall oak； and help to build a great ship。 She took just as much
pains； again； about the acorn which you crushed under your foot just now；
and which you fancy will never come to anything。 Madam How is wiser
than that。 She knows that it will come to something。 She will find
some use for it； as she finds a use for everything。 That acorn which you
crushed will turn into mould； and that mould will go to feed the roots of
some plant； perhaps next year； if it lies where it is； or perhaps it will be
washed into the brook； and then into the river； and go down to the sea； and
will feed the roots of some plant in some new continent ages and ages
hence： and so Madam How will have her own again。 You dropped your
stick into the river yesterday； and it floated away。 You were sorry；
because it had cost you a great deal of trouble to cut it； and peel it； and
carve a head and your name on it。 Madam How was not sorry； though
she had taken a great deal more trouble with that stick than ever you had
taken。 She had been three years making that stick； out of many things；
sunbeams among the rest。 But when it fell into the river； Madam How
knew that she should not lose her sunbeams nor anything else： the stick
would float down the river； and on into the sea； and there； when it got
heavy with the salt water； it would sink； and lodge； and be buried； and
perhaps ages hence turn into coal； and ages after that some one would dig
it up and burn it； and then out would come； as bright warm flame； all the
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MADAM HOW AND LADY WHY
sunbeams that were stored away in that stick： and so Madam How would
have her own again。 And if that should not be the fate of your stick； still
something else will happen to it just as useful in the long run； for Madam
How never loses anything； but uses up all her scraps and odds and ends
somehow； somewhere； somewhen； as is fit and proper for the Housekeeper
of the whole Universe。 Indeed； Madam How is so patient that some
people fancy her stupid； and think that； because she does not fall into a
passion every time you steal her sweets； or break her crockery； or
disarrange her furniture； therefore she does not care。 But I advise you as
a little boy； and still more when you grow up to be a man； not to get that
fancy into your head； for you will find that； however good…natured and
patient Madam How is in most matters； her keeping silence and not
seeming to see you is no sign that she has forgotten。 On the contrary； she
bears a grudge （if one may so say； with all respect to her） longer than any
one else does； because she will always have her own again。 Indeed； I
sometimes think that if it were not for Lady Why； her mistress； she might
bear some of her grudges for ever and ever。 I have seen men ere now
damage some of Madam How's property when they were little boys； and
be punished by her all their lives long； even though she had mended the
broken pieces； or turned them to some other use。 Therefore I say to you；
beware of Madam How。 She will teach you more kindly； patiently； and
tenderly than any mother； if you want to learn her trade。 But if； instead
of learning her trade； you damage her materials and play with her tools；
beware lest she has her own again out of you。
Some people think； again； that Madam How is not only stupid； but ill…
tempered and cruel； that she makes earthquakes and storms； and famine
and pestilences； in a sort of blind passion； not caring where they go or
whom they hurt； qu