The Drunkard's Wife

"'Why do you keep on drunk?' I said to the Drunkard," the Moon opened her storyboard. "Look, you said, you made the waggon, yet in reality, it's not. Someone else made it, and left it in your house to be sold. Then you suspect those who seek the Truth?"

The Drunkard lifted his head, and I saw, his eyes still droopy and sleepy, "Listen O Moon!" says he, "It's the prevalence of custom. Indeed, a teetotaler—one who abstains completely from alcohol beverage—once, gave me a counsel, he said, ' In any thing that we are sensible, may be prejudicial to either our health or fortunes, we should take care not to let our inclinations run up into a habit. For though our sensible mind, may be easily checked at our first setting out, and directed which way we please, yet, our inclinations, like a head-strong, unruly horse in his full career, will have its own course, and we are hurried impetuously on, without the power of controling it.

A certain Woman had a drunken husband, whom when she had endeavoured to reclaim several ways, to no purpose, she tried this stratagem.

When he was brought home one night, dead drunk, as it seems he frequently used to be, she ordered him to be carried to a buring place, and there laid in a vault, as if he had been dead indeed.

Thus she left him, and went away, till she thought, he might be come to himself, and grown sober again.

When she returned and knocked at the door of the vault, the man cried out, 'Who’s there?' 'I am the person,' says she, in a dismal tone, that waits upon the dead folks, 'and I am come to bring you some victuals.'

'Ah! good waiter,' says he, 'let the victuals alone and bring me a little drink, I beseech thee.'

The Woman hearing this, fell a tearing her hair, and beating her braast in a woeful manner. 'Unhappy wretch that I am,' says she; 'this was the only way that I could think of to reform the beastly sot; but instead of gaining my point, I am only convinced that this drunkenness is an incurable habit, which he intends to carry with him into the other world.'

As the passions of young men are warm, and their imaginations lively, it would be wrong to endeavour to tie them up from the pursuit out innocent pleasures. But those among them, that think at all, can never form a more useful and happy resolution, than not to suffer themselves to be drawn into a habit, even in indifferent and trifling things.

He that keeps himself free from the slavery of habit, will always be at leisure to distinguish what is good for him, from that which is otherwise: and then there is no fear, but his cool, unbiassed judgment will direct him to such pursuits as will be least hurtful, if not most, useful to him.'

The Drunkard silenced, shaking his head, "Aee! When can I change?" Then, he walked unsteady, limping, and singing,

Sweet dreams are made of this

Who am I to disagree?

I've traveled the World and the Seven Seas

Everybody's lookin' for something

Some of them want to use you

Some of them want to get used by you

Some of them want to abuse you

Some of them want to be abused *)

Once more, the Moon sighed, "By using ourselves to any evil practice, how we may let it grow into such a habit as we shall never be able to divest ourselves of, 'O! that men should put an enemy into their mouths to steal away their brains!' There is no vice which gains an ascendant over us more insensibly, or more incurably, than drunkenness: it takes root by degrees, and comes at length to be past both remedy and shame. Habitual drunkenness stupifies the senses, destroys the understanding, fills its votaries with diseases, and makes them incapable of business. It cuts short the thread of life, or brings on an early old age, besides the mischief it does in the mean time to a man’s family and affairs, and the scandal it brings upon himself: for a sot is one of the most despicable and disgusting characters in life. He has destroyed his reasoning faculties, and thus shewn his ingratitude to the Giver of them.

Now, it makes me start to think, 'Is it, Radical Reformation, once more, needed?' And Allah knows best."

Citations & References:
- Thomas Bewick, Bewick's Select Fables, Bickers & Sons
- Samuel Croxall, D.D., Fables of Aesop and Others, Simon Probasco
*) "Sweet Dreams" written by Robert Haynes, Gerd Saraf, Mehmet Soenmez, Melanie Thornton, Peter Joyner, Jack Hill, Robert Beavers & Dennis Taylor

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