The Brothers and the Goat

Three brothers lived together at the foot of a very tall mountain.  The oldest brother was skilled in cutting rocks; the middle brother was skilled in cutting wood; and the youngest was skilled in milking cows.

The oldest brother climbed up the mountain one day, but there were no rocks to cut.  But he did meet a goat.  He tried to cut it, but the goat escaped.

Later on, the middle brother hiked into the forest, but found no wood to cut.  But he did meet the same goat there that his brother did, and he wanted to cut it.  Yet the goat escaped.

The youngest brother visited the pasture where his cows were grazing, yet none were ready to milk.  But the goat appeared, which his brothers had seen earlier.  

And they all dined on goat's cheese that evening.

The Man on the Moon

One day while venturing much too high, a little man got stuck on the moon.  Peering toward the ground below, he spotted a tall man who might help him.  "Please, kind sir!" he called.  "I see you are quite tall, and you see I am quite small, and have no way down from here.  I am very cold; will you reach up and pluck me from this rock?"  

"I am sorry," replied the tall man, "but I have never reached so far."  And he continued on his way.

An hour passed, and the man on the moon spotted another rescuer, yet taller than the first.  "Please, kind sir!" he called.  "I see you are very tall, and you see I am very small, and have no way down from here.  It is lonely on this rock; will you reach up and pluck me from it?"

"I am sorry," replied the very tall man, "but I cannot reach you where you are."  And he continued on his way.

Two hours passed, and the man on the moon spotted yet another down below, smaller even than himself.  "Please, friend!" he called.  "I see you are not very tall, but neither am I; and I have gotten myself stuck here, with no way down.  I am very hungry.  Taller men could not pluck me down, but I ask only that you might give me food."

"I am much too small to reach," replied the little man below, "but I can build a ladder.  I will bring you food, and then we will return together."

So the little rescuer set to work on a ladder to the moon.  But before he could finish, he was issued a zoning citation.  And the man on the moon died.