The Three Brothers
There was once a man who had three sons, but no fortune except the house he lived in. Now, each of them wanted to have the house after his death; but their father was just as fond of one as of the other, and did not know how to treat them all fairly. He did not want to sell the house, because it had belonged to his forefathers, or he might have divided the money between them.
At last an idea came into his head, and he said to his sons: “Go out into the world, and each learn a trade, and when you come home, the one who makes best use of his handicraft shall have the house.”
The sons were quite content with this plan, and the eldest decided to be a farrier, the second a barber, and the third a fencing master. They fixed a time when they would all meet at home again, and then they set off.
It so happened that they each found a clever master with whom they learned their business thoroughly. The farrier shod the king’s horses, and he thought, “I shall certainly be the one to have the house.”
The barber shaved nobody but grand gentlemen, so he thought it would fall to him.
The fencing master got many blows, but he set his teeth, and would not let himself be put out, because he thought, “If I am afraid of a blow, I shall never get the house.”
Now, when the given time had passed, they all went home together to their father; but they did not know how to get a good opportunity of showing off their powers, and sat down to discuss the matter.
Suddenly a hare came running over the field.
“Ah!” cried the barber, “she comes just in the nick of time.”