A Lost Watch

Once, there was a farmer who lost his watch in the barn. It was not an ordinary watch because it had sentimental value for him. After searching high and low for a long while, he gave up and asked a group of children outside to play in the barn. He promised them that the one who found the watch would be rewarded. Hearing this, the children hurried inside the barn. They even went through and around a big pile of hay, but still could not find the watch. When the farmer was just about to give up looking for his watch, a little boy came up to him and asked to be given another chance. The farmer looked at him and thought, “Why not? After all, this kid looks sincere enough.” So the farmer sent the little boy back into the barn. After a while, the little boy came out with the watch in his hand. The farmer was both happy and surprised. He asked the boy how he found it. The boy replied, “I did nothing but sat on the ground and listen. In the silence, I heard the ticking of the watch and just looked for it in that direction.”