by Swami Brahmananda (from the Teachings of Sri Ramakrishna)

A stone may remain for thousands of years in water and the water will never penetrate it. But clay, on coming in contact with water, gets mixed up with it directly. So the heart of the faithful does not despair in the midst of thousands of trials, but the man of weak faith is essentially shaken by the most trifling cause.

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The Lord, being pleased with Prahlada's prayers and hymns, asked him what boon he desired. Prahlada replied, "Lord, forgive those who oppressed me; in punishing them Thou will be punishing Thyself, for verily Thou abidest in everything." 

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Sri Ramakrishna pointed to Keshab Babu and remarked, "He is the only one here whose tail has dropped off." Upon this Keshab Babu's disciples burst into a loud laughter. Keshab Babu said to them in a tone of reproof, "Don't you laugh; his words have some deep meaning." Sri Ramakrishna then explained himself as follows: "So long as the tadpole's tail does not drop off, it can live only in water; when the tail drops off, it can live both in water and on land. Similarly, he whose tail of ignorance has dropped off by divine contemplation can both dive into the Sea of Divine Bliss and live in the world, just as he pleases."