Nothing To Be Afraid Of

Some years ago I was standing before the cage of a wildcat in the zoo of one of our large cities.  As I stood there wondering just what good purpose a wildcat might serve, an attendant entered the cage through a door on the opposite side.  He had nothing in his hands but a broom.  Carefully closing the door, he proceeded to sweep the floor of the cage.

The shivers went down my spine as I saw him in there alone with that wildcat.  So far as I could tell he had no weapon with which to protect himself in case of attack.  But he seemed not to be afraid in the least and went about his work.

In spite of his composure, I supposed that when he got to where the cat lay he would treat him with the utmost respect, but nothing of the kind.  When he got near the beast, he gave him a shove with the broom to make him get out of the way.  The wildcat made no response except a disapproving hiss, after which he lay down in another corner of the cage.

"You certainly are a brave man," I said to the attendant.

"No, I ain't brave," the man answered, continuing to sweep.

"Well then," said I, "that cat must be tame."

"No," he answered again, "he ain't tame."

"Well," I said again, "if you are not brave and that cat in not tame then I cannot understand why he does not attack you."

The man chuckled.  "Mister," he said, "he's old--and he ain't got no teeth."

- Carl Armerding, quoted in The Speaker's Quote Book (Christian Literature Crusade, 1997)

Why Is Daddy Afraid Too?

One summer night during a severe thunderstorm, a mother was tucking her small son into bed.  She was about to turn the light off when he asked in a trembling voice, "Mommy, will you stay with me all night?"  Smiling, the mother gave him a warm, reassuring hug and said tenderly, "I can't, dear.  I have to sleep in Daddy's room."

A long silence followed.  At last, it was broken by a shaky voice saying, "The big sissy!"

- Roy B. Zuck, The Speaker's Quote Book (Christian Literature Crusade, 1997)

Nothing To Fear When You're Prepared

Years ago a farmer owned land along the Atlantic seacoast.  He constantly advertised for hired hands.  Most people were relactant to work on farms along the Atlantic.  They dreaded the awful storms that raged across the Atlantic, wreaking havoc on the buildings and crops.

As the farmer interviewed applicants for the job, he received a steady stream of refusals.  Finally, a short, thin man, well past middle age, approached the farmer.  "Are you a good farmhand?" the farmer asked him.

"Well, I can sleep when the wind blows," anwered the little man.  Although puzzled by this answer, the farmer, desperate for help, hired him.  The little man worked well around the farm, busy from dawn to dusk, and the farmer felt satisfied with the man's work.

Then one night the wind howled loudly in from offshore.  Jumping out of bed, the farmer grabbed a lantern and rushed next door to the hired hand's sleeping quarters.  He shook the little man and yelled, "Get up!  A storm is coming!  Tie things down before they blow away!"

The little man rolled over in bed and said firmly, "No sir.  I told you, I can sleep when the wind blows."

Enraged by the old man's response, the farmer was tempted to fire him on the spot.  Instead, he hurried outside to prepare for the storm.  To his amazement, he discovered that all of the haystacks had been covered with tarpaulins.  The cows were in the barn, the chickens were in the coops, and the doors were barred.  The shutters were tightly secured.  Everything was tied down.  Nothing could blow away.  The farmer then understood what his hired hand meant, and he returned to bed to also sleep while the wind blew.

- Wayne Rice, Still More Hot Illustrations For Youth Talks (Christian Litereature Crusade, 1999)