The boy had been born in the western wilderness and worked on his father's ranch since he was old enough to walk. Any admission that he lacked appropriate chores to occupy his time or was otherwise bored immediately caused several new and urgent tasks to appear that required attention.
One winter, during the ranch's slower season, the fellow went to visit relations in the east and was gone for several weeks. Always a quick study, he immediately observed his relative's unhurried and careless ways and returned home at the end of his vacation with a new outlook on life.
The first Sunday he was home the local parson visited the family and took time to speak with each of the children. His conversation with the boy opened along these lines:
"Do you know the parables?"
"Yes, sir."
"Tell me, which do you like best?"
"That's easy," replied the fellow with a profound sense of accomplishment, "I like the one where somebody loafs and fishes ..."