The parable of good and bad deeds

Sell or do things yourself at the life fair?

Curious Oscar couldn't contain himself with his questions, drinking cup after cup of tea and depleting the reserves of jam in Grandpa's cellar. After glancing at a book that caught his interest, he continued to ask Grandpa his pressing questions.

— Grandpa, what's better and more profitable, running your own shop or doing good deeds at the fair of life? — entrepreneurial Oscar inquired.

— Running your own shop is a costly but interesting endeavor. Unfortunately, there's a temptation to start trading in bad deeds, and you already understand the consequences for your little house of life, Oscar. And when the sale of good deeds is slow, one feels tempted to sell some misdeed from the snake's list after all, the house needs to be built! And the most important thing is that I won't be the one doing the bad deed! Let others think about who does it. I merely offered and exchanged bricks for it! Who knows, maybe there won't be any more rain! — Grandpa chuckled.

— Yes, I always hoped for that too! — Oscar laughed in response.

— It's very difficult to resist temptation, which is why many merchants at the fair mix their deeds together, — Grandpa continued, — but I, my dear ones, understood this and simply discarded all the snake's pamphlets and only traded in good deeds. I also made sure my employees, the shopkeepers, didn't push anything bad and didn't use my name, hoping to quickly and abundantly receive their share of bricks. It was challenging at first, years went by, but gradually, more and more people started taking deeds and actions from my shop because they realized that rain wouldn't wash away my bricks, and their homes would always be warm and cozy.

— I can't wait for long, so I'd rather do good deeds myself and receive even if it's a small amount, but at least they'll be good and sturdy bricks, — Oscar said.

— Well done, Oscar, — Grandpa said and continued, — besides patience, you also need life experience to determine what you're trading, good deeds or bad, so that you don't get caught on the snake's hook and don't build yourself a sandcastle that will crumble at the first heavenly rain. Of course, we know that for good deeds, the merchant is also paid 'relatively little' in bricks, but they are eternal bricks.

Mickey and Oscar pondered over Grandpa's advice and decided that it was too early for them to open their own shop at the fair. They needed to gain experience first, and then they would see what the future held.