Two Barrels

In the center of the desert many,many miles from any other sources of  water stood two separate barrels.Each was filled to their own capacity of fifteen gallons.They were ordinary in appearance.They were made of plain wooden strips bordered and held together by wide,steel bands forming a cylinder shaped structure.The barrels were set on small pedestals that were easily accessible to passing travelers.Cool,clear water came forth from an attached tap sprocket on each barrel.

The only obvious difference between the two containers was in the manner in which the water flowed from the barrels.The two barrels set side by side.the barrel that was approached from the left side gave forth a steady even flow of water.The barrel on the right gave forth only  a trickle when the tap was opened.

Of course,each day as thirsty travelers came to the location of the twin barrels,the barrel on the left was mostly frequented primarily.Hardly anyone wanted to bother with the container which gave forth only a trickle.

One night deep in darkness,two vagabonds of greedy disposition approached the barrels.They had traveled many miles together;and now bickered and berated each other.

After sampling the refreshment of the water barrels,still agitated with each other,the vagabonds decided to part ways.Before parting though,in their greed and malice ,the two travelers made plans to sever the water containers from their pedestals and to carry them along on their desert trek.

They began to argue violently about who would get the barrel with the free flowing faucet.Alas,the more beastly of the two raised his staff and struck his enraged ex-comrade.

Having knocked the other vagabond unconscious,the predatory vagabond,with much effort hoisted the free flowing barrel onto his mule.He then commenced traveling.

As the solitary thief traveled through the arid land he drank often from the stolen water barrel without a thought about how rapidly that he was depleting its contents.After having traveled only a few more days, the barrel was empty and the thieving vagabond was without water.

Meanwhile,the vagabond who had been left behind regained consciousness and resumed his journey.As he traveled,he was forced to partake sparingly from his trickling water barrel.He traveled at a steady pace drinking only enough to sustain him.

Only a few miles from the original location of the barrels,the once victimized vagabond came upon the fallen parched body of his once fellow traveler.After ransacking the clothing and luggage of the corpse,the surviving nomad drank sparingly as the sprout provided,from the still half full barrel and then resumed his trip.