One day, a poor farmer is visited by a genie. The genie agrees to grant him any one wish. The poor farmer wishes for a cow, so that his family will never do without fresh milk. The genie grants his wish.

His neighbor, hearing this story, berates the poor farmer: "You could have wished for anything! Gold, jewels, beautiful women, a tsar's ransom! Instead, you stupid clod, you wished for a cow!" "But my family is happy", responded the farmer. And the truth was, his family was happy. His children were healthy and well fed, and his wife sold a little milk to provide a small income to purchase household necessities. Because of the genie's gift, the poor farmer was now living better than his neighbors, if only slightly. "It's so unfair!" complained his neighbor. "He did nothing to deserve better than us!" and his resentment of the poor farmer's good fortune burned and grew in his heart.

Then one day, the genie returned, this time visiting the poor farmer's neighbor. Now the opportunity was his, and this time the scales would be balanced! "I will grant you any one wish", said the genie, "whatever it is". "I know exactly what I want!" growled the neighbor. "I want my neighbor's cow to die!"




(When foreigners ask why things don't ever seem to get better in Russia, they may be treated to some version of this story in answer.)