Stories of wisdom

I will just make a quick disclaimer for today's post: it will be in English as I am currently in Berlin writing this post on my Latvian friend's iPad, and I really want to sleep.

So, today's post should include our favourite proverbs. I decided to add a small twist to it, and I will tell two stories I have read recently that have inspired me instead. 

This first story is obtained from Mihkel Raud's new book "Kus ma olen ja kuidas sina void palju kaugemale jouda" ("Where Am I and How You Can Get Much Farther"). It goes like that: A few years ago two friends decided to visit a billionaire. The first guy got really excited, "Wow, look at this, dude, this guy has everything!" "Yup," the other guy answered, "but I have something this guy will never have." "Oh, and what is that?" asked the other friend. "Enough."

Pildi autor: Agnese Geka. Tehtud Berlini kontserdisaalis, kogu süda teile terrorirünnakutest tervenemiseks! 

The second story was told to me by my friend. Here goes: an alchemist was sailing to England, and asked the sailor, "What do you know about the animals living underneith you?" "Nothing, sir," replied the sailor. The professor was appalled. The next day he decided to check the sailor's knowledge on astronomy, "Sailor, what do you know about the sky?" The sailor's answer remained unchanged, "I know nothing of it, sir." "How is that possible?? You are a sailor, and know nothing of the sky above you," shouted the alchemist. Next day, the ship was about to sink, and the sailor asked the professor, "Can you swim?" "No, I cannot!!" I think we all know in pur heads to whose favour this story ends, but the morale is: it is more important to keep the ship on the water than to sail forward.