An elderly homesteader hires some young laborers to dig for water on his property
"Don't worry, Sir, we won't let you down!" says the team leader.
So the laborers grab their shovels and start digging.
The first day, they're breaking ground in the blazing hot sun. They're sweating, working harder than they've ever worked before.
The second day, they bring harnesses and pulleys so they can scale down into the hole. It's cooler down there, but the rocks start getting larger. They have to switch to pickaxes to keep making progress. Buckets and buckets of heavy rocks and dirt are lifted out of that hole.
On the 3rd day, they're so deep that it's starting to get dark. They have to break out the headlamps. But finally, the dirt is getting moist, and they hit water! They pull out another 5 feet of mud to make sure there's some water depth.
On the 4th day, they start building the stonework. They line the walls of their hole with stones as big as their heads, filling any crevices with mortar.
On the 5th day, the walls reach the surface, and they start doing some carpentry. They build a little hut over the hole, and attach a bucket to a rope and pulley system to raise the water.
Finally, on the 6th day, they're finished. They clean up the work site, and go grab the old owner to check their work.
The team leader excitedly declares, "Sir, we've finished the job!"
The old man walks up to the construction and starts inspecting. He first checks the woodwork of the hut, looking for any splintered beams or loose connections. He then slowly walks a full circle around, observing the crevices between stones, to see if any light gets through. He then pulls out a flashlight and looks down the hole, to ensure the stonework goes consistently to the bottom. Finally, he lowers the bucket down, brings up a single load of water, and tastes it.
The team leader nervously asks, "Sir? What do you think?"
The old man turns to him, nods, and says, "Well done."
