Once upon a time, there was a farmer who lived in the countryside. He was very hardworking and quick-witted. Everyone in the village said he was very clever and could always find a solution to any problem.
One evening, it was already dark, and the farmer had just finished his work and was about to go home. When he reached the edge of the field, he suddenly saw a pile of coal burning on the ground.This startled him, and he thought to himself, “Who would be burning coal in the field at this hour?”
He walked closer and saw a small black creature standing on the pile of burning coal. This little creature had horns and a pair of small wings, and looked very strange. The farmer knew immediately—it was a devil!
The farmer asked him, “What are you doing standing there? Is there something valuable buried under that pile of coal?”
The devil nodded and said, “Yes, there is a lot of gold and silver buried there, more than you have ever seen in your entire life.”
The farmer’s eyes lit up when he heard this and said, “Since this land is mine, then the treasures buried in it are also mine.”
The devil thought about it and said, “All right, I can leave the money to you, but you have to agree to one condition.”
“What condition?” asked the farmer.
The devil said, “For the next two years, half of the crops you grow will belong to me.”
The farmer asked, “How will we divide it? Which part is yours?”
The devil said, “I want what grows above the ground.”
The farmer smiled and said, “No problem. The things that grow underground are mine, and the things that grow above ground are yours.”
The devil thought this was fair and agreed.
Next, the farmer began to farm. This time, he didn’t plant wheat or corn, but radishes. Because radishes grow underground, their leaves are above ground and their roots are in the soil.
When it was time to harvest, the devil came to take his half. But the farmer only cut off the leaves above ground, leaving the turnips in the ground. The devil was furious because all he got were a few piles of withered leaves, nothing edible.
The farmer, however, smiled happily as he dug up the turnips one by one, put them in a basket, and took them home.
The devil gritted his teeth and said, “This time you got the better of me, but next time I won’t be so foolish! From now on, what’s above ground is yours, and what’s below ground is mine.”
The farmer nodded and said, “Alright, as you wish.”
The next spring, the farmer began sowing again. This time, he didn’t plant radishes but wheat. When the wheat ripened, the farmer came to the field with a sickle, cut all the wheat stalks, leaving only short stubble.
The devil came again, but all he saw on the ground were the short stubble. He had wanted the wheat ears and stalks, but the farmer had already taken them.
The devil stomped his feet in anger, cursed a few times, and disappeared into the ground.
The farmer gathered the things in the field while laughing, “There you go, I’ve beaten the devil again.”
After saying that, he hid the treasure he had buried in the ground and returned home happily.
Why is this story interesting?
This story is about an ordinary farmer who defeated the devil with his own intelligence. It teaches us several lessons:
- Don’t be fooled by appearances: The devil looked powerful and spoke with confidence, but he wasn’t really smart. The farmer was just an ordinary person, but he knew how to think and how to use the rules to his advantage.
- Rules can be understood and used: The devil was inflexible and only knew how to follow the original agreement. The farmer, on the other hand, was able to find new ways to deal with the situation each time and use the rules to his advantage.
- Cleverness does not equal cunning: The farmer did not deceive the devil; he used his wisdom to find the most reasonable explanation. He did not break the agreement; he simply changed his perspective to understand and execute it.
- Have confidence when facing a stronger opponent: The devil represents powerful force, but the farmer was not afraid. He dared to negotiate and fight for his interests. This courage and confidence are also important.
