Story AB

Story A

This made the store owner so
angry that he gave him a few blows. In
the end, the silly man had not only to
pay for the damaged goods but also to
return home empty-handed. Worried
that he would be cheated, the wife
instructed him to test the bowl by filling
it with some water and to try the hat on
before buying it. He tried to fit the bowl
onto his head, breaking the bowl in the
process. And he poured water into the
hat, destroying it. But the silly man got
the instructions mixed up. One day, the
wife of a foolish man sent him to buy an
earthen bowl and a horsehair hat.
Taken from 366 and More Fairy Tales


Story B
In a blacksmith store, one day
an old man walked in and asked the
blacksmith to show him his best sword.
With pride the blacksmith showed
a large and shimmering sword. The
old man held the sword in his hand
and swung it several times. "It's a
nice sword but the handle isn't very
comfortable, I bet that it'll break even
when you try to cut wood with it." The
blacksmith was very furious. "I'm the
best blacksmith in this town!" he said.
But the old man's words kept ringing
in his ears. So he immediately tried to
cut some wood with the sword. The
sword broke instantly. The blacksmith
realised that the old man was right. He
was not the best blacksmith. He decided
to improve his skill in making swords
by learning from other people.
Taken from 366 and More Fairy Tales