There were two brothers who inherited a gold mine on their father’s death. As they set out for the first time to mine it, they discussed how to share its earnings. The younger wanted to split all earnings evenly, but the older suggested they should each be able to take what they removed. This seemed fair enough to the younger, and it was settled.

Now, the older brother was keen, resourceful, and without frivolous attachments. Every day, he put away his take of the gold, only spending it in ways that would help him increase the mine’s production.

The younger brother spent his gold freely, spending money on his wife and children and his wife’s aged mother.

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Soon, the resourceful brother had built a thriving operation. The other brother, however, was still mining the gold with his very own hands. He had only been able to afford to hire a few men to help him, and they were dwarfed by the crew that worked beside them.

In time, the older brother was approached by the younger about receiving a loan. His family had been struck with a terrible disease, and he needed more money for their treatment. The older brother agreed, but at a price. The younger brother would have to hand over half of his profits to the older until the debt was paid.

The younger agreed, and as time went on, more and more such loans were struck. One day, the younger brother emerged from the mine with his day’s earnings, and the older approached him to collect all but a tiny bit of gold dust.

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“Brother,” said the younger, “I am taking home less from the mine than your workers earn in their wages.”

“I know, brother,” said the older. “I hate to see you and your family starving. Give me your share of the mine, and come work for me.”

The younger brother thought on it, and then agreed. He joined his brother’s line of workers, and accepted the meager living offered to him. The other workers laughed at him, for he had gone from owning half of a prosperous gold mine to a pauper in only a few short years.

The older brother, meanwhile, flourished. Thus, the resourceful feast while the frivolous starve.