An old king, with death approaching, remembered that he had not yet decided to which of his three sons he would leave his kingdom. As lie thought about this, he realised that there was only one thing which they knew how to do well, and that was nothing! So he decided he would leave his throne to the son who was best of all at doing nothing. He called the three princes to him and began to question them.
'I am so lazy,' said the first, 'that if a grain of dust lands in my eye while I am falling asleep, rather than go to the effort of getting it out, I prefer to forget about sleeping and remain all night with my eyes open.'
'Ah, but if I,' said the second prince, should sit near the fire to warm myself, why, rather than tax myself by moving my feet, I let them get burnt by the flames.'
'I am so lazy,' boasted the third prince at this point, 'that if I were being hung and I was given a knife to cut the rope, I would let myself strangle to death, rather than make the effort of raising my hand.'
'That really is astonishing!' thought the old king. 'You couldn't get lazier than that! The throne is yours!' he said, turning to the third and laziest of the three princes.
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