Once upon a time there was an old woman who had two large jugs. They hung over the ends of the yoke lying on her shoulder.
One of them had a crack, while the other was flawless and always held a full portion of water.
At the end of the long journey from the river to the old woman's house, the cracked jug was always only half full.
For two years this happened every day: the old woman always brought home only one and a half jugs of water.
The flawlessly intact jug was very proud of its work, but the poor cracked jug was ashamed of its shortcoming and was upset that it could only do half of what it was made for.
After two years, which seemed to convince him of his own endless unfitness, the jug turned to the old woman:
- “I’m ashamed of my crack, from which water always runs all the way to your house.”
The old woman chuckled.
- “Have you noticed that there are flowers growing on your side of the path, but not on the side of the other jug?”
I sowed flower seeds on your side of the path because I knew about your shortcoming. So you water them every day when we go home.
For two years in a row I was able to cut these wonderful flowers and decorate the table with them. If you were not who you are, then this beauty would not exist and it would not honor our home.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru