The Tool-Shed

The monk Djishin was walking in the forest, when he came upon a man sawing wood by the edge of the path.

“What are you making, friend?” asked Djishin.

“A tiny tool-shed that I have sorely needed,” said the man. “It will have one hook for my rake, another for my spade, and a place on the floor for my tin pail.”

Djishin wished the man good health and continued on his way.

The next day Djishin came upon this same man sawing wood. Many posts had been set into the ground.

“How goes your work today, friend?” asked Djishin. “That is a wider tool-shed than I’d imagined.”

Said the man, “Last night I wondered: what if I buy more rakes or pails, or wish to store clay pots? So now it is a proper garden-shed. See, here will go a window, with a shelf to start my seedlings.”

Djishin wished the man good health and continued on his way.

The next day Djishin came upon this same man sawing wood. Many more posts had been set into the ground, and joists for a floor, and ceiling beams.

“How goes your work today, friend?” asked Djishin. “That is a taller garden-shed than I’d imagined.”

Said the man, “Last night I thought: if I add a second storey, it would make a cozy cottage where I could rest after a hard day’s gardening. See, here will go a ladder, where I may climb to a loft with a humble bed.”

Djishin wished the man good health and continued on his way.

The next day Djishin came upon this same man sawing wood. Many more posts had been set into the ground, and ceiling beams, but the floor had been torn apart.

“How goes your work today, friend?” asked Djishin. “That is a larger cottage than I’d imagined.”

Said the man, “Last night I decided: stairs are better than a ladder, for under them one may keep clothes and shoes. In which case I may as well build a proper house, with a kitchen and a bathing-room, and give it to my son when he is grown. See, here will go a fine stone floor, when I have money to pay the quarry.”

Djishin wished the man good health and continued on his way.

The next day Djishin came upon this same man sawing wood. Still more posts had been set into the ground, with rickety catwalks between them. From the ceiling beams hung ropes and pulleys.

“How goes your work today, friend?” asked Djishin. “That is a grander house than I’d imagined.”

Said the man, “Last night I realized: my son may someday wish a wife and family. So I am putting all in readiness for an estate of any size, depending on the number of children he foresees. See, here are the ramps to carry flagstones for the floor, and scaffolding he can climb to set the roof tiles.”

Djishin wished the man good health and continued on his way.

The next day Djishin was at his terminal when master Banzen came in.

“How goes your work today, monk?” asked Banzen. “I expect you need more time to implement this grand email framework you devised last week.”

“No more time,” said Djishin, swivelling his monitor to face the master. “I have dismantled the bones of my estate, and built for you this fine tool-shed.”