Page:Karl Gjellerup - The Pilgrim Kamanita - 1911.djvu/148

 the goal of all men. Blooming, luxuriant health, a comfortable and blissful feeling in all one's members, in every vein and fibre of the body, such as the gods enjoy, even the sickliest can obtain by my help, at a very small cost.' To this miracle-worker the child runs and pours out his trouble: 'I beg thee, honoured sir, to give me by thy skill in place of this pain at present in my tooth, a feeling of comfort, of blissful rapture.'

"And the magician answers: 'My dear child, in doing just this very thing lies my skill.' After he has pocketed the money offered by the child, he touches the tooth with his finger and produces a magical effect, by means of which feeling of blissful pleasure drives out the pain. And the foolish child runs home overjoyed and supremely happy.

"After a short time, however, the feeling of pleasure gradually subsides and the pain returns. And why? Because the cause of the evil was not removed.

"But, O pilgrim, let us suppose that a reasonable man feels a burning, stabbing, boring pain in his tooth. And he goes to a learned and experienced physician and tells him of his trouble: 'I beg thee, honoured sir, by thy skill to free me from this pain.' And the physician answers: 'If thou, my friend, dost demand no more from me, I may safely trust my skill so far.' 'What could I ask for more,' replies the reasonable man. And the physician examines the tooth and finds the cause of the pain in an inflammation at its root. 'Go home, my friend, and have a leech put on this spot. When the leech has sucked itself full and falls off, then lay these herbs on the wound. By so doing, the matter and the impure blood will be removed and the pain will cease.' The reasonable man goes home and does as the physician bids him. And the pain goes