Beelzebubs-Tales-to-His-Grandson-by-G-I-Gurdjieff

CHAPTER 8The impudent brat Hassein, Beelzebub'sgrandson, dares to call men "slugs"HASSEIN at once sat down at Beelzebub's feet and coaxingly said:"Tell me anything you wish, dear Grandfather. Anything you tell will be thegreatest joy for me, if only because it is you who are telling it.""No," objected Beelzebub, "you yourself must ask what interests you mostof all. It will give me much pleasure to tell you whatever you particularlywish to know about.""Well then, dear, kind Grandfather, tell me something about those . . . whatare they called? . . . I've forgotten . . . Oh yes, about those 'slugs.' ""What? About what slugs?" asked Beelzebub, not understanding thequestion."Don't you remember, Grandfather, a little while ago, when you spokeabout the three-centered beings breeding on the various planets of that solarsystem where you existed for so long, you mentioned that on one planet—Iforget what you called it—there exist three-centered beings who are on thewhole like us, but whose skin is a little slimier than ours?""Aha!" laughed Beelzebub. "You must be asking about those beings whobreed on the planet Earth and who call themselves 'men.' ""Yes, Grandfather, yes Tell me about those 'men-beings' I should like toknow more about them. "Then Beelzebub said, "I could tell you a great deal about them, for I oftenvisited that planet and existed among those terrestrial three-brained beingsfor long periods, and even made friends with many of them.