You Get Paid in Sound

There were two carpenters working in the forest. The first man was busy chopping the wood. The second man was only watching him, sitting on a fallen tree next to him. The first man worked so hard that he put a lot of energy into cutting the wood. He used a big axe. With his strong hands, he was lifting his axe above his head and with lots of energy, he inflicted it onto the wood again and again.

“Ugh...”

Every time he did this, his friend who was only watching him, let out a loud grunt. That way the chopper chopped and the grunter grunted until all the timber was cut.

“Ugh...”

When the first man finished doing it, he started gathering the pieces of wood he cut.

“Thanks God! It’s finally over.”

After he gathered the pieces, he started loading it onto his donkey. Amazingly, his friend still watching and was doing nothing to help him. He was only making back sound.

“You have to pay me,” the second man spoke to the first man.

“Why should I pay you? You haven’t done anything!” the first man refused.

“Well, grunted for you, didn’t I? The second man insisted.

The first man didn’t agree and the dispute grew nasty. Both of the decided to talk to the wise man. Mr X happened to be considered as the wisest man in the village at that time. Mr X listened carefully to their stories.

“Give me your purse!” Mr X said to the first man.

“Why?” the first man wondered.

“Just give me your purse and trust me,” Mr X replied.

He took three coins from the purse and dropped them on his desk. The coins tinkled and clinked. “Did you hear the coin jingling?” Mr X asked the second man.

“Yes, of course,” the man replied. He was puzzled.

Mr X saw his expression. Then he explained further.

“You’ve already gt your right payment. You made sound and now you get paid in sound,” Mr X explained.