The Servant

A wealthy rural landowner had a servant, a handsome and cheerful young man. The master had four sons, and none of them had children.

Whatever happened in that house, the servant was blamed for everything. If cheese went missing from the cellar, they would say, "The servant did it." If a sheep died, they would say, "This is the servant's doing."

One day, a milk cow died, and the master's daughters-in-law accused the servant of causing its death. The servant endured all these troubles in silence.

Then one day, the eldest daughter-in-law gave birth to a beautiful son, as handsome as the servant. To celebrate the child's birth, the master threw a lavish feast. They ate, drank, and rejoiced that the family finally had a son, an heir to carry on the family line...

The servant joined the guests at the feast. He was gloomy and sad. The middle brother, noticing the servant's sadness, asked:

"Listen, why are you so gloomy? Why are you sad? Eat, drink, celebrate—your master has a son now."

The servant replied:

"How can I not be sad? After all, you blame me for everything that happens in this house. And now you'll say that even the birth of this child is my fault..."

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• The Dream of a Lazybones
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