Old Joe hired a carpenter to build a fence between he and his neighbor’s house. The carpenter goes to work.

The old man had to go to town for supplies, so he hitched up his wagon and left for the day. The young carpenter carried the lumber from the barn to creek side, and started to work.

He worked hard and he worked fast. He measured, sawed, and nailed those boards into place all day long without stopping for lunch. With the setting of the sun, he started to put away his tools. He had finished his project.

Old Joe pulled up his wagon full of supplies. when he saw what the carpenter had built, he couldn’t speak. It wasn’t a fence.

What did the carpenter make? “Find out next time!

Old Joe and the Carpenter” can be found in Doorways to the Soul: 52 Wisdom Tales from Around the World by Elisa Pearmain