Why the Sea is Salt

Once there were two brothers. One was rich and the other poor. It was nearly Christmas, and the poor man had nothing in the house for Christmas dinner. At last, he decided to go to his brother and ask him for a small gift. The rich man was too surly even to answer his brother politely. He took down a fine ham and threw it at him, saying, “Go home, and don’t let me see your face here again.” The poor man thanked him, took the ham, and went away.

On his way home he had to pass through a great forest. In the middle of the forest, he saw an old man cutting down trees.