Columbus and the Egg — 349
Columbus, speaking with great humility of his discovery of America, some of the company spoke in very depreciating terms of the expedition. “There is no more difficulty,” replied Columbus, “than in putting this egg on its end.” They tried the experiment, and all failed. Columbus, breaking a little off the end, set it upright. The company sneered at the contrivance. “Thus,” observed Columbus, “a thing appears very easy after it is done.”