Ivan

While considering the effect of excessive teaching and loss of self initiative, I came over a note posted in the Facebook.

It is a short story from Ivan the Fool of Leo Tolstoy. Here is an amateurish translation:

The brother of Ivan used to be a poor farmer and led a peaceful life. The old devil, with a wicked intention, sent one of his juniors to disturb the man's life.

The little Satan turned the farm into stone-hard. The old farmer put up much effort to work with it - without any unhappiness.

The old devil sent another young one, who took away the bread and water from the farmer.

But the latter was unmoved - in fact, he was quite happy if the bread was taken by some others more in need of food.

A third representative from hell, and a really bright one, was sent. He became a friend of this farmer, told him the change in weather and every trick in business. The farmer became immensely rick in a few years and, alas, he lost all of his good characters: He counted on every penny, shouted at his servants, and did all dirty things to crave for more money.

The devil was right: The more you have, the more you ask for.