An antique dealer visited a rural village and noticed an old, worn-out cabinet owned by a carpenter. He thought he could buy it for a low price and later sell it in the city for over ten thousand francs. However, feeling crafty, he didn’t want the carpenter to realize the cabinet’s true value. He proposed to buy it for a mere pittance:
– I’ll give you 5 francs for this cabinet; it’s not good for anything, but I just need some firewood for my stove.
The next morning, he eagerly arrived with a truck to pick up the cabinet, only to find a pile of short-cut wood in front of the door. Surprised, he asked:
– What is this?
– That’s your wood, the carpenter replied. Yesterday, I regretted selling it to you for only 5 francs, so I had to cut it up for you!
