Once upon a time there was an old man of the woods who lived in a small cottage in the middle of a large forest. He was a master tiller of the soil, a craft he had learned from his father and grandfather before him. The old man spent his days working the soil around his cottage, caring for the trees and plants, and living a peaceful, simple life.

One day, a stranger from the village below ventured up the path leading to the old man’s home. He had heard of the old man’s skill with the soil and was curious to learn of his methods. When the man arrived, the old man welcomed him and invited him to stay for the night, which the stranger gladly accepted. As the two talked, the old man shared his wisdom on the art of tilling.

The old man showed the stranger how to prepare the soil, break it up to create a loose bed and how to rotate crops and move nutrients around the land to maximize yield. The old man demonstrated how to tend the trees, using pruning and thinning to maximize the amount of sunlight that could reach the trees. He also explained how to use natural and organic materials to nourish the soil and create a healthier, more productive environment.

The next morning, the stranger thanked the old man for his hospitality and the lesson in tilling. As the stranger was walking away, the old man called out one final piece of advice: “Always remember, patience and care are the keys to successful tilling.”

The stranger thanked the old man and went on his way, his head full of all the knowledge he had gained in just one night. As he continued his journey, he thought on the old man’s words, taking comfort in the knowledge that with patience and care, he too could master the art of tilling.

The moral of this story is that patience and care are essential for success in any endeavor. With enough time, effort, and dedication, one can overcome any obstacle and achieve success. Tilling is no different, and with a little bit of patience and care, even the novice can become a tiller of the soil.