The Charcoal-Burner and the Fuller
The Charcoal-Burner and the Fuller
A charcoal-burner who works alone meets a fuller and thinks it would be nice to live together as friends. However, the fuller has concerns about this arrangement that lead to an important discovery about their different ways of life.
A charcoal-burner lived in a small house.
A charcoal-burner lived in a small house.
He made charcoal from wood.
He made charcoal from wood.
His work made everything black and dirty.
His work made everything black and dirty.
One day, a fuller moved into the house next door.
One day, a fuller moved into the house next door.
A fuller cleans clothes and makes them white and bright.
A fuller cleans clothes and makes them white and bright.
The charcoal-burner was happy to have a neighbor.
The charcoal-burner was happy to have a neighbor.
He went to visit the fuller.
He went to visit the fuller.
"Hello, friend!"
"Hello, friend!"
said the charcoal-burner.
said the charcoal-burner.
"I have an idea."
"I have an idea."
"Why don't you come live in my house with me?"
"Why don't you come live in my house with me?"
"We can be roommates."
"We can be roommates."
"We will save money."
"We will save money."
"We can talk every day."
"We can talk every day."
"It will be fun!"
"It will be fun!"
The fuller smiled but shook his head.
The fuller smiled but shook his head.
"Thank you for asking me,"
"Thank you for asking me,"
he said.
he said.
"You are very kind."
"You are very kind."
"But I cannot live with you."
"But I cannot live with you."
"Why not?"
"Why not?"
asked the charcoal-burner.
asked the charcoal-burner.
"Your work makes everything black,"
"Your work makes everything black,"
said the fuller.
said the fuller.
"My work makes things clean and white."
"My work makes things clean and white."
"If I live with you, everything I clean will get dirty again."
"If I live with you, everything I clean will get dirty again."
"I will have no clean clothes to sell."
"I will have no clean clothes to sell."
The charcoal-burner understood.
The charcoal-burner understood.
He waved goodbye and went back to his house.
He waved goodbye and went back to his house.
The two men stayed good neighbors, but they lived in their own houses.
The two men stayed good neighbors, but they lived in their own houses.