One day, Juha went to his neighbor and borrowed a large cooking pot for a feast he was preparing. His neighbor lent it gladly. A few days later, Juha returned the pot — but inside it sat a small pot the neighbor had never owned before. Surprised, the neighbor asked what it was. Juha replied simply, «Your pot gave birth while it was at my house, and this is its child. It's only right that you take them both.»

Delighted by the unexpected gift, the neighbor happily accepted both pots without a second thought, and from then on trusted Juha more than ever, lending him anything he asked for, certain he was an honest, generous man who would never lie.

Weeks later, Juha borrowed the large pot again — but this time, he never brought it back. When the neighbor came asking about it, Juha answered with a sorrowful face, «I'm afraid, my friend, your pot has died.» The neighbor cried out, «Since when do pots die?!» Juha replied calmly, «And since when do pots give birth? You believed me when it gained you something — why not believe me now that it costs you something?» The neighbor realized then how easily the promise of an unexpected gift can blind a person to plain truth.