Once upon a time there lived a bear in the world, young and very wealthy. His father had previously owned many companies across countries all over the world, but when he grew old, he handed over all management to his son — Bear Pavlovich. The main source of income for the family came from farms and fields where various crops were grown.
The heir studied at a respectable university somewhere abroad and was completely uninterested in his father's business. He delegated all his responsibilities for growing various crops to a bloke who was a real professional in agriculture. The bloke's name was Ivan.
He had a large, very large family: a beautiful wife, four sons and two daughters. And of course, there was never enough money for everyone: the girls needed to buy pretty dresses and jewellery, and the sons had to change their phones or tablets every month — they were so active and constantly lost or broke their things.
Bear Pavlovich abroad wasn't interested in the fields at all. And so, when it came time to harvest, the young manager became absorbed in a new entertainment — computer games — and had no interest whatsoever in the turnips, of which they had planted a whole two hectares. Every day Ivan would ring his boss the bear to ask permission to harvest, but he was always too busy. The bloke would ring the bear on the phone, send him emails, but got no reply. And only one way was found to contact the manager – Skype.
Oi, Bear Pavlovich! Why can't I get through to you?! It's time to harvest the turnips, and you won't get back to me!
The bloke shouted indignantly at his laptop screen.
Why should I care? All I care about is getting money from these turnips. You go ahead and cut the tops using that modern equipment my father bought, and throw away the roots.
Replied the bear.
What are you on about? The roots are the most valuable part of the turnip, not the tops!
The bloke shouted even louder.
Now listen here, who's the boss? Who's in charge, me or you? So do what I tell you.
Grumbled Bear Pavlovich and disconnected.
How can this be!
Thought Ivan.
There'll be no profit if I do what the bear says, and I've got to feed my family.
And so the bloke decided to outwit the bear. He dug up the roots himself and sold them abroad for three times the price, and sent the tops to Korea as the bear had instructed. Of course, there was no profit, and the bear urgently contacted the bloke.
Listen here, Ivan! Why didn't we make any profit from our turnips? Did you do everything I said?
Yeah, sure! I sent the tops to Korea and processed the roots with the new equipment and threw them away!
Answered the bloke confidently.
Strange. Well then, soon we'll be harvesting wheat. Let's try the opposite — we'll sell the roots and throw away the tops. Do you understand? Watch yourself, bloke, don't mix it up!
Don't worry, Bear Pavlovich, I'll do it perfectly!
Answered the bloke with a grin and disconnected.
With the wheat harvest in the fields, Ivan went about it just as cunningly — he did everything properly and correctly, but did the bear a favour — he followed his foolish orders.
What on earth is happening again?
The bear shouted threateningly at his laptop screen.
Why is there no profit again? Did you get it all mixed up?
What are you talking about, bear? I did everything you said – sold the roots, threw away the tops.
Answered the bloke calmly.
So why haven't we made any money at all, absolutely no profit? Is wheat really that cheap these days?
Shouted the furious bear. It turned out that the old father, who had handed over all his business to his son's control, had found out about everything that was happening, and as it turned out in the end, he'd made a mistake.
From that point on, the father bear stopped indulging his son: no pocket money, no new stylish things, he bought and gave nothing. He even took away the new Lamborghini and bought an old Lada instead.
And so the bloke hoodwinked the bear, accumulated money himself and provided his children with a long and happy life.
Read new fairy tales and nothing like this will ever happen to you.
