India, Feb. 20 -- Aeons ago, an old farmer lived in ancient China. He was once a brawny grazer and a propertied landlord. Because of certain misadventures, and fallacious decisions taken by him in his profession and personal life, the agriculturist fell into bad times.

A man of little use

One fine day, the son got so frustrated by the turn of events that he constructed a wood coffin. Virtually dragging the coffin over to the porch, he commanded his father to get into it. The nonchalant father climbed into the coffin and mentally prepared himself for the end. The son then dragged the coffin to the edge of a high cliff.

The prescient peasant

Just as he was about to drop the coffin, the son heard a light tapping on the lid from inside th...