The river and the fountain.
One sunny day, the fountain in the market square caught the attention of the river as it flowed down the nearby canal.
“Where is your self respect?” said the river. “Whereas I span continents, sculpting the very land and driving life for unnumbered flora, fauna, and peoples, you are little more than a bauble, a diversion for the indolent, and a toilet for the indigent.”
“I cannot deny it” spoke the fountain in reply.
Aghast, the river continued “Do you have no shame? You do nothing except spray your pitiful droplets briefly into the air, before they are again reclaimed into your basin, having accomplished nothing. I move oceans.”
“This too is true” agreed the fountain. “As for shame and self respect, I do not require these palliatives. The spray of my 'pitiful droplets' is my only joy and needs no trophy. While you bend and yield to every slope of the land, and do so to great advantage, I resist the pull of the earth, even for just a moment.”