Perseverance story: A fathers final lesson to his sons about work skills

There once was an old man in a small town, very well known and respected by everyone for his strong work ethic and remarkable skills. When he passed away, he left everything he owned to his three sons. The eldest son inherited the house, the middle son received the cow, and the youngest was given only an axe and a pair of gloves. The eldest settled into the house, content with his new home. The middle son began trading milk, relying on the cow for his livelihood. The youngest son, having nothing else to depend on, took his axe and gloves and set out to work, determined to earn his living through honest labor. Years went by. The eldest son’s house became messy and neglected, mirroring his own laziness. The middle son’s cow grew slow and unproductive, much like its owner. However, the axe and gloves of the youngest brother never rested. They helped construct buildings, raise bridges, build dams, and erect mills. His dedication and effort paid off, allowing him to purchase his own house and his own cow through his hard-earned money.

Seeing his success, the two older brothers became envious. They convinced themselves that the axe was enchanted, believing it to be the source of their younger brother’s prosperity. One night, they secretly stole it, hoping that it would bring them the same success. But when they tried using it, nothing extraordinary happened. The axe did not seem to work any differently in their hands. Puzzled, they thought perhaps it needed the gloves to function properly, so they stole those as well. Still, the results were the same. The axe and gloves alone could not achieve what they had seen their younger brother accomplish. Meanwhile, the youngest brother was not discouraged by the loss of his tools. He simply purchased a new axe and a fresh pair of gloves and continued his work with the same enthusiasm, singing as he labored. It wasn’t long before he regained all that he had lost and more.

At last, the older brothers came to a profound realization. It was not the axe, nor the gloves, that had brought success, it was their younger brother’s skills, perseverance, and dedication to hard work. Understanding their mistake, they resolved to change their ways. Inspired by their younger brother’s determination, they began training and improving their own skills, eager to find success through their own efforts, just as he had done. Through this, the brothers learned an invaluable lesson which is, that tools alone do not create success, it is effort, dedication, and skill that truly matter. From that day forward the two elder brothers worked hard, just like their younger brother, finally carving out their own paths to prosperity.