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

The “traveling carpenter” was hired by Old Joe to build a fence between he and his neighbor’s property. But Joe returned home from his errands to find…

When he saw what the carpenter had built, he couldn’t speak. It wasn’t a fence. Instead, a beautiful footbridge, with handrails and all, reached from one side of the creek to the other.

Just then, Old Joe’s neighbor crossed the bridge, his hand stuck out, and said, “I’m right sorry about our misunderstanding, Joe. The calf is yours, I just want us to go on being good friends.”

“You keep the calf, ” said Old Joe. “I want us to be friends, too. The bridge was this young fellow’s idea. And I’m glad he did it.”

The carpenter hoisted his toolbox onto his shoulder and started to leave.

“Wait!” said Joe. “You’re a good man. My neighbor and I can keep you busy for weeks.”

The carpenter smiled and said, “I’d like to stay, but I can’t. I have more bridges to build.”

And he walked down the road, whistling a happy tune as he went.

—

“To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you.” Lewis B. Smedes

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