種子的神奇力量 The Power of Seed
傑克·倫敦/Jack London
Some one asked: what in the world has the greatest power? There came various answers. Some said elephant; some said lion; some even jokingly said that King Kang was the most powerful. How powerful is King Kang? Nobody knows, of course.
It turned out that none of these answers is correct, for the most powerful thing in the world is seed. The power exhibited by a seed can surpass almost everything.
Here comes another story.
The skull of human being is very compactly and solidly formed. Both physiologists and anatomists tried every possible means to separate the skull intact but failed. Then suddenly some one found a way: put some seeds into the skull that is to be anatomized. Given the right temperature and humidity, the seeds will begin shooting up. When shooting up, the seeds can separate the skull perfectly with an amazing power while all mechanical powers failed. Here, you can see the power of a plant's seed.
Perhaps this example is a little too particular, thus common people usually don't get it. Then, have you seen a grass growing up from under rubbles and stones? Yearning for sunlight and longing for life, the grass keeps shooting up to the ground, circuitously and persistently, despite how heavy the stones are over it and how narrow the space is between the stones. Its root deepens into the earth while its sprout pierces up to the ground. It has an irresistible force which can overturn the stones that stand in its way. Here, you can see the power of a seed.
Though no one would ever call a grass Hercules, the power of a grass is matchless in the world. The power is vitality which is invisible to common people. This power will emerge as long as there is life and the stones above cannot stop it from claiming its presence, for it's a "long-persisting" fighting force, flexible and tenacious.
A living seed will not feel pessimistic nor sigh if it falls into rubbles instead of fertile soil, because it believes that obstruction means trial. A tough grass is the one with fight from the beginning of its life. Only this kind of grass can laugh at the potted flowers nursed in glasshouses.