The Load
After the French had left Moscow, two peasants went out to search for treasures. One was wise, the other stupid.
They went together to the burnt part of the city, and found some scorched wool. They said, “That will be useful at home.”
They gathered up as much as they could carry, and started home with it.
On the way they saw lying in the street a lot of cloth. The wise peasant threw down the wool, seized as much of the cloth as he could carry, and put it on his shoulders. The stupid one said:—
“Why throw away the wool? It is nicely tied up, and nicely fastened on.” And so he did not take any of the cloth.