"There was a wanderer who, feeling hungry, approached an apple tree trying to reach one of those juicy apples hanging from it. Since he couldn't reach them and the stone where he could climb up was a bit far away and seemed heavy, he sat on the ground waiting for one of the apples to fall so he could eat it.

He waited in vain for two days, because the apples would still take at least another week to fall.

From time to time he glanced at the stone, but it still seemed too heavy to him, so he continued waiting.

When hunger was pressing hard, suddenly an apple fell from the tree and the wanderer said to himself: 'There's nothing like having patience; if I had made the effort to bring the stone, I would have achieved the same result.' And he boasted of his insight.

He picked up the apple, took a bite, and oh, surprise! it was rotten."

Moral: Beside what you desire lies the help to achieve it, but it often happens that this help requires effort.

"There was a wanderer who, feeling hungry, approached an apple tree trying to reach one of those juicy apples hanging from it. Since he couldn't reach them and the stone where he could climb up was a bit far away and seemed heavy, he sat on the ground waiting for one of the apples to fall so he could eat it.

He waited in vain for two days, because the apples would still take at least another week to fall.

From time to time he glanced at the stone, but it still seemed too heavy to him, so he continued waiting.

When hunger was pressing hard, suddenly an apple fell from the tree and the wanderer said to himself: 'There's nothing like having patience; if I had made the effort to bring the stone, I would have achieved the same result.' And he boasted of his insight.

He picked up the apple, took a bite, and oh, surprise! it was rotten."

Moral: Beside what you desire lies the help to achieve it, but it often happens that this help requires effort.

It's curious how time and civilization relate... If you look back, you see a world with fewer years but which feels more ancient. And the more years it accumulates, the less ancient it seems.