The Old Man’s Daughters

There once was an old man who had three daughters. The daughters were each very beautiful and talented. Each day, the old man would try to wake his daughters to help him on the farm. But each day only the youngest daughter would rise from her bed to help her father.

The old man wished he could think of a way to get his two oldest daughters to rise from their beds so they could learn to work. But try as he might, he could not convince them. He secretly devised a plan.

Late that night, he buried a diamond ring in the cabbage patch.

Early the next morning, he woke his three daughters, but only the youngest got up. She went to work in the cabbage patch. Imagine her surprise when she came across the diamond ring! The other daughters were furious. They didn’t think it was fair.

The next night, the old man buried a diamond necklace in the apple orchard. The following morning, the youngest daughter found the necklace as she picked apples. The other daughters were outraged.

But the old man’s plan worked. Early the third morning, all three daughters arose when called and went to work. They worked all day, but they never found anything special. They continued getting up each morning hoping to find a surprise. The old man smiled to himself. His plan had worked. With a twinkle in his eye, he set about his work.