The Craftsman, the Woodpecker, and the Jar

Once, there lived a poor craftsman. The craftsman was extremely skilled, but his works were overshadowed by others born to wealthy families or with power. One day, as the craftsman was working, a woodpecker flew into his shop. The wise Woodpecker sensed the Craftsman's disappointment and asked him his story, learning of his hardship. Taking pity on the craftsman, the woodpecker gave the craftsman a challenge: If the craftsman could gather a stone from inside a jar, he would be given success and riches. However, if he gave up, he would die. Accepting the challenge, the craftsman was met with a cylindrical jar, as tall as the craftsman and as wide as his head. At once, the craftsman tried to grab the stone out of the bottom of the jar, but the jar was too long for him to reach the stone. Next, the craftsman tried to use a rope with some sap on the end to grab the stone. The rope connected with the stone, the sap gluing it to the evasive rock, but as he was lifting up the stone, the sap broke. Discouraged, the craftsman was about to give up, but then thought about the challenge and was struck with an idea. Taking a hammer, the craftsman struck the jar repeatedly, shattering the jar and retrieving the stone. Though the jar had been broken, the Craftsman had retrieved the stone regardless. In the days to come, the Craftsman became one of the best in the land, having beaten the challenge through wit and cunning.