1.By a clear well，beside a lonely road，Hassan the humble had his poor abode；He could not roam abroad in search of fame And noble deeds，for he was bent and lame.No eyes smiled back to his at night or morn，And evermore he moaned，“Why was I born？
Who have no strength to strive，no gold to give？
2.Even then a honey-bee，in passing，fell，Burdened with pollen，in his crystal well；And Hassan raised it as it struggling lay，Dried its wet wings，and sped it on its way；And，still repining，sought his daily toil，Digging and watering the needy soilOf his small vineyard，that he might one day Share its rich fruit with those who came that way.
3.He pruned the cruel thorns and briers which tore The feet and robes of travellers by his door；He picked the sharp stones from the trodden way Where barefoot pilgrims plodded day by day，And beggar children，with unsandalledWandered along in weariness and heat；feet，He brought them in his carven cocoa-shell Draughts of sweet water from his living well.
4.He found the lost lamb，wandering from its own，And soothed its shivering by his chimney-stone；Spared the poor moth that sought his taper’s blaze，And fed the hungry birds in winter days；Saved the weak fledgelingfallen from the nest，Calmed its wild fear，and warmed it in his breast；Rescued the firefly from the spider‘s snare，And sent it on its shining path in air，And was a helper and a friend indeed To every suffering creature in its need；Yet all the while bewailedhis lack of worth，And marvelled what his use could be on earth.
5.Once，musing thus，he laid him down to rest，And mourned no more，for comfort filled his breast：He dreamt his weary days had all gone by，And that he sought his bed of boughs to die；A great white angel stood beside him there，And said，“Thou hast had many ills to bear，O Hassan，and hast grieved in solitudeBecause thou canst not do great deeds of good；But since thy hand each day fresh succourbringsTo men distressed，even beasts and creeping things，Cherishing all with thy wide charity，This thou hast done，beloved，unto Me.”Then Hassan saw how blindly he had wept His narrow powers，and he smiled and slept.
