A man inherited a farm upon the death of distant kin. In hopes that this estate would bring him quick riches, the new farm owner visited the menagerie of a man who was said to have magic cows that when milked would produce gold coins instead of dairy. The farm owner bought the whole herd and hired cowmen to do his milking in return for a common milker’s wage. The cowmen set to their work and discovered that their pales would be filled with milkless coin.
The workers became resentful of the farm owner. The men who were desperate stole some of the gold and kept it for themselves. The men who were lazy milked slowly, for they knew how little the owner worked, yet their labor made him rich. The men who were good left for a better livelihood to work alongside other good men.
The remaining milkers conspired to steal the cows from the owner. The owner lost his cows and was left destitute because he had no skill or diligence to put his inheritance to work, and no appreciation for the skills of those who could have helped him.