The Lazy Craftsman

One man, to his great joy, had a son born to him. He decided to buy a cradle for the baby. He went to a carpenter, gave him a rial, and said:

- Make a cradle for my son. The carpenter replied:
- Alright, come next Friday and take it. It was Thursday at the time, so the customer had to return in eight days. On Friday, he came to the craftsman:
- Give me the cradle.
- It's not ready yet, - the carpenter replied.

The carpenter kept delaying and procrastinating until the child started walking, then grew up, got married, and had a son of his own. The young father said to the old man:
- I want to buy a cradle for my son.
- Go to such-and-such carpenter, - the old man replied, - it's been twenty years since I ordered a cradle from him. Go and get it.

The son went to the carpenter:
- Give me the cradle that my father ordered from you and for which you received a rial.
- Take your rial back, - the carpenter replied, - I don't want to rush with this matter.

More fairy tales

• 3. Sinbad the Sailor (The Third Voyage)
• 1. Sinbad the Sailor (First Voyage)
• The Tale of Ja'far and His Brothers
• The Tale of Abu-Kir and Abu-Sir
• Clever Muhammad