There was once a poor man who had hired himself to a certain rich one without an agreement as to the wages he was to receive. He served his master for a year and a day, and when the term was ended, he went to him, and asked that he might be paid what his master thought he had earned. The master took out a penny, and said to him,—

"There you have your wages."

The servant took the penny, thanked the master, and then went to a rivulet which had a very rapid flow. When he reached the bank, he said to himself:

"Good heavens! how does it come to pass that in a whole year I have only earned one penny? God knows whether I have earned no more than that. Therefore I will convince myself, and will throw this little coin into