The Echo

L ITTLE George knew nothing of the echo. Once upon a time he was playing in the forest, when he called out, "Ho! Ho!" and immediately it was repeated. He was much surprised, and shouted, "Who are you?" The voice also said: "Who are you?" George shouted, "You are a silly boy!"—"Silly boy!" resounded from the forest. He became very much excited, and continued to use angry words, which were all repeated. Upon this, he determined to search for the naughty boy who he supposed was hiding in the forest and mocking him; but of course he failed to find any one. George ran home and told his mother a bad boy in the forest had called him names. His mother said: "You, yourself, were the bad boy; you only heard your own words. Your voice rebounded from the hills, just as you have often seen your face reflected in the water. If you had spoken pleasant words, you would have heard pleasant words. The echo always repeats the words you speak."