Einst gingen zwei Jünglinge spazieren und fanden im Fahrweg einige Schnecken, die sie, besorgt, daß sie von einem Fuhrwagen zerdrückt werden möchten, in den Busch dabei warfen. »Ihr Mutwilligen«, riefen die Schnecken, »warum stört ihr uns aus unsrer friedlichen Ruhe und werft uns so mutwillig hierher.«
Menschenbrüder, mit wem hadert ihr, wenn
euch ein kleines Ungemach geschieht? Mit einem Allweisen? O! ihr Kurzsichtigen!
On one occasion, two
youths went for a walk and found some snails on the roadway, which they threw
into the bush, afraid they might be crushed by a wagon. "You mischievous
ones," cried the snails, "why are you disturbing our peace and
wantonly throwing us about?"
Brothers and sisters, with whom do you
quarrel when a little trouble befalls you? With an All-Wise? Oh, you
short-sighted ones!
--Novalis, “Die Schnecken”
Because we are truly
children of God, we want to understand all things. But because we are obstinate children, we are
not willing to be taught. To perceive is
to know how little we know. Instead of
waiting for the story to unfold, we demand the climax on the first page. And when the train is traveling to strange and harsh and mysterious lands, we insist on getting off at the nearest stop.
