Once upon a time there lived a peasant. From dawn to dusk he worked in the field - clearing it of stones, sowing corn, and tending it.
It was not easy for him to work; no one helped him.
That peasant had a son, a lazy man - you couldn’t find another like him in the whole world! The father went out into the field long before dawn and returned when it was completely dark, and the son was idle from morning to evening.
Meanwhile, old age crept up on my father, and his strength began to wane. Although he could have forced his son to work in his field, he decided to give him as a farm laborer.
The peasant took his son to a neighboring village to work as a laborer for one gold piece a year.
The owner was surprised why the old peasant asked for such a small payment for his son.
“Apparently, he is a rich man,” the owner thought, “it was not without reason that this man gave me his son. In order not to offend the old man, I will not force this guy to work.”
And that’s all I need for a lazy person. A lazy person lives for his own pleasure - he gets up late, eats the best cuts, dresses up and has fun.
When a year had passed, the owner gave the lazy man a piece of gold and sent him off with honor.
The lazy man came home.
- How did you live and work, son? - asks the father.
“From morning to evening I worked tirelessly. The owner was pleased with me.
The son held out the gold, and the father took the money and, without even looking, threw it into the fire.
The lazy man didn't say a word. I wasn’t surprised why my father suddenly started throwing money into the fire. He turned around and went to bed. Just think, the money is one gold!
The father realized that his son had learned nothing and decided to give him to another owner. He took his son to another village.
The new owner, like the first, decided that it was not without reason that the old man gave his son as a worker. And he also didn’t force the lazy person to work.
And again the year flew by unnoticed. Again the lazy man got gold.
He comes to his father.
- Well, son, how was your work?
“I worked from dawn to dusk. “This is my income,” the son answered.
- Give it here!
The son held out the gold, and again the father took the money and, without even looking, threw it into the fire. And again the lazy man didn’t say a word. He didn’t even ask why his father was throwing money into the fire. He turned around and went to bed. Just think, the money is one gold!
The father sees that two years have passed in vain.
He decided to give his son as a worker for the third time. He took him to the farthest village and chose a poor peasant. In his house he had many eaters and few workers.
“I see it’s hard for you,” the old father says to the poor man, “you have no helpers.” I leave you my son for a year: teach him to work properly, and you don’t need any payment!
From the very first day, the new owner forced the lazy man to work equally with himself.
They got up at dawn, worked without a break and finished when all the stars in the sky were lit.
The days slowly dragged on, each one seemed so long to the lazy man! It was difficult for him because he was not used to it: sweat rolled down his face like hail, and the owner did not allow him to wipe himself off.
The lazy man did not see the white light, and then he began to get used to work and soon could no longer sit idle. And again time quickly flew by.
The year has ended.
Now the guy no longer looked like the lazy person he had been before: his smart clothes were worn out, and calluses appeared on his hands.
It's time to go home.
At parting, the owner says to him:
“Your father didn’t ask me for any payment, but you did a good job!” Here are two gold pieces for you - you can buy yourself a new beshmet.
A son comes to his father.
- Well, son, how was your work?
- It worked well.
“Did your owner pay you for your efforts?” The son handed two gold pieces to his father, but he didn’t even look at them - he threw them into the fire.
The son could not stand it here, he screamed and began to rake the hot coals with his bare hands.
- How can you throw labor money into the fire!
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru