On the first day, God created
the dog and said: "Sit all day by
the door of your house and
bark at anyone
who comes in or walks past.
For this, I will give you a life
span of twenty years."
The dog said: "That's a long
time to be barking. How about
only ten years and I'll give you
back the other ten?"
So God agreed.
On the second day, God
created the monkey and said:
"Entertain people, do tricks,
and make them laugh. For this,
I'll give you a twenty-year life
span."
The monkey said: "Monkey
tricks for twenty years? That's
a pretty long time to perform.
How about I give you back ten
like the Dog did?"
And God agreed.
On the third day, God created
the cow and said: "You must
go into the field with the
farmer all day
long and suffer under the sun,
have calves and give milk to
support the farmer's family. For
this, I will give you a life span
of sixty years."
The cow said: "That's kind of a
tough life you want me to live
for sixty years. How about
twenty and I'll give back the
other forty?"
And God agreed again.
On the fourth day, God created
man and said: "Eat, sleep, play,
marry and enjoy your life. For
this, I'll give you twenty years."
But man said: "Only twenty
years? Could you possibly give
me my twenty, the forty the
cow gave back, the ten the
monkey gave back, and the ten
the dog gave back; that makes
eighty, okay?"
"Okay," said God, "You asked
for it."
So that is why the first twenty
years we eat, sleep, play and
enjoy ourselves. For the next
forty years
we slave in the sun to support
our family. For the next ten
years we do monkey tricks to
entertain the grandchildren.
And for the last ten years we
sit on the front porch and bark
at everyone.
Life has now been explained to
you.