THE WOODCUTTER’S SONS

A Short Moral Story.

An engineer hired a woodcutter to cut down all the trees in his front yard. His yard was dark and covered with leaves, and so he wanted to let in more sun.

“Cut them into logs, and then move the logs to the other end of the fence. I’ll find someone to buy them” the engineer said to the woodcutter.

The following morning, the woodcutter arrived with his two sons to begin the day’s work. It was going to be a strenuous day of cutting down ten trees, cutting them into logs, and then moving them to a different spot.

As the woodcutter set about his work and laid out the tools he would need, the engineer watched them through the window from his bedroom. He didn’t move an inch, he just sat on the chair, keeping an eye on them.

He noticed that the younger son of the woodcutter wasn’t doing any work. The boy would not assist his father and brother in any way. He only sat in the corner by the wall, eating some apples, and watching them do the heavy task all by themselves. The engineer became sickened by the boy’s laziness and selfishness. “What a spoiled little brat!” he scoffed and closed the window.

By the end of the day, the woodcutter approached the engineer. He seemed to have finished his work. Tired and exhausted, he asked him.

“It’s all done, sir! Can I get my payment as we discussed for that task?”

After inspecting the yard, the engineer was highly impressed with the work carried out there. He went inside the house and came out with some money, which he handed to the woodcutter. Then he reached in his pocket and pulled out an expensive wristwatch. He said.

“I want you to give this watch to your elder son… it’s a gift to him. He’s such an amazing kid. I am really Impressed by how he assisted you to do all the work. I know, someday he’ll make you proud”. He hesitated for a second, and then continued. “And as for your other son… I’m so disappointed at his behaviour. He showed no interest to work and has no sense of curiosity about the world. You’d better correct him now or he’ll grow up to be an undisciplined and irresponsible man”

The woodcutter’s face was suddenly cast in a very thoughtful expression. Then he said.

“Sir, there is something you need to know about my younger son. Actually, he used to be a very energetic and hardworking kid. He worked even harder than his elder brother. However, few months ago, he developed a kidney infection that led to the removal of one of his kidneys. In order to keep the remaining kidney healthy, the doctors warned that he should not engage in any strenuous activity. Did you see him eating apples? The fruit is high in fibre and anti-inflammatory compounds that help improve his kidney function”

Upon hearing that, the engineer felt a pang of sympathy and guilt. His heart squeezed in his chest. And then he uttered in a broken voice.

“This must be very hard for him. I’m so sorry for judging your son. I could have asked questions first, rather than passing judgment on him. Indeed, we must never judge a book by its cover… Now, I think that boy deserves something more than a wristwatch. Just wait a second… I’ll get him something special”.

Moral lesson: Do not pass judgement or make assumptions unless you know the whole story. If in doubt, ask the person directly. Questions clear up confusion and gets us on the same page. Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstanding. Be curious, and not judgmental.

Author: Chima_Dickson Official

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