One day the clay felt itself taken from the place where it had waited so long. A f？lat blade of iron passed beneath it， and lifted it， and tossed it into a cart with other lumps of clay， and it was carried far away， as it seemed， over a rough and stony road. But it was not afraid， nor discouraged， for it said to itself： “This is necessary. The path to glory is always rugged. Now I am on my way to play a great part in the world.”