Two men had been hired to build a small log cabin, but while one worked from sunrise to sunset, the other sat in a chair and watched and cheered him on:
-Go Go! Less is left! Let's go!
So the days went by and what should have taken a month finally cost twice as much. Even so, whoever commissioned the work paid them what was established: four gold coins.
As soon as the working man collected the money, the other man asked for his share.
"What do you mean, your part?" If you haven't helped me at all.
"Of course I did," he replied, "I've been cheering you on and thanks to me you've managed to finish the cabin."
But the working man refused to give him anything, so the other brought him before the judge.
Once there, they both explained their reasons.
"Your Honor, I have been working very hard for two months and this other man has done nothing but cheer me on by screaming."
-That's right? Asked the judge.
"Well, yes, but if it wasn't for my spirits, surely the house would never have finished." He would have gotten tired before and right now he wouldn't have all four gold coins. I kept saying "Come on, come on, come on!"
As soon as the judge finished listening to both versions, he left to think of a fair solution.
Half an hour later, he returned.
"Let's see, how many coins did you pay to build the cabin?" The judge asked the working man.
"Four gold coins."
"Very well, then give me two of them."
"But ... I don't understand, I've already told him that it's not fair for him to keep half of it," he protested.
"Give me the coins, please."
At that moment the judge went to the other man, showed him the two gold coins and threw them on the ground.
"Did you hear that sound the two coins made when they fell?" -I ask.
"Yes, of course, Your Honor."
"Very well, then, with that clink, we just paid off the debt of his 'come on.'