The sage philosopher came to the mill to buy some flour. The miller asked him to wait a little while the grain was ground, and went out. The sage began to observe the process: a bull with a bell around his neck, whose yoke was attached to the millstones, walked in a circle, which set them in motion - and the grains were ground.
After some time, the miller returned and gave the sage a bag of flour.
“I want to ask you a question,” said the sage. - Tell me, you are reputed to be a very practical and economical person, why did you spend money on such nonsense as a bell on this bull’s neck?
- Oh, it's very simple: the bull walks in a circle, and if he stops, the bell stops, then I go out, give him a kick, and he continues to walk in a circle. This way I can do other things while the grain is grinding.
- Interesting! And if the bull stops and just shakes his head, the bell will ring, and you will think that it is working. This will become a problem.
- Oh, it’s unlikely that such a problem will arise. This bull is not as smart as you.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru