Recently forwarded a lover from many years gone:
On the first day, God created the and said, "Sit all day the door of your house and bark at anyone who comes in or walks past. For this, I will give you a life span of twenty years."
The said, "That's a long time to be barking. How about only ten years and I'll give you back the other ten?"
And God saw it was good.
On the second day, God created the monkey and said, "Entertain people, do tricks, and make them laugh. For this, I'll give you a twenty-year life span."
The monkey said, "Monkey tricks for twenty years? That's a pretty long time to perform. How about I give you back ten like the did?"
And God, again saw it was good.
On the third day, God created the cow and said, "You must go into the field with the farmer all day long and suffer under the sun, have calves and give milk to support the farmer's family. For this, I will give you a life span of sixty years."
The cow said, "That's kind of a tough life you want me to live for sixty years. How about twenty and I'll give back the other forty?"
And God agreed it was good.
On the fourth day, God created humans and said, "Eat, sleep, , marry and enjoy your life. For this, I'll give you twenty years."
But the human said, "Only twenty years? Could you possibly give me my twenty, the forty the cow gave back,
the ten the monkey gave back,
and the ten the gave back; that makes eighty, okay?"
"Okay," said God, "You asked for it."
So that is why for our first twenty years, we eat, sleep, and enjoy ourselves.
For the next forty years, we in the sun to support our family.
For the next ten years, we do monkey tricks to entertain the grandchildren.
And for the last ten years, we sit on the front porch and bark at everyone.
Life has now been explained to you.
There is no need to thank me for this valuable information.
I'm doing it as a public .
If you are looking for me I will be on the front porch...
I like that.
This is a variation of the Brothers Grimm's retelling of Aesop's fable "The Years of Man"
In the original Greek version man takes in a Horse, an Ox and a dog in to his own home to spare them the harsh winter, in return for the hospitality each animal gives a sacrifice to the man. The horse gives ten years of his life to the man for athletics and play, the ox gives ten years of strength and stamina for hard work and providing, the dog gives ten years for him to be a protector of his home and family, leaving the man his own twenty years for childhood and retirement.
Everything in Western culture usually goes back to the Greeks.
Ok, so several thousand years has resulted in lengthier life spans. - Even got away from the 3 score & ten. You've had a fascinating education Len.
@Beowulfsfriend the Greeks probably stole it from elsewhere. Why else would we be warned of "Greeks bearing gifts"?
@FrayedBear That would be a reference to the Trojan Horse.
@LenHazell53 who knows? Aren't they like the Americans, living off their promises of "we'll repay what we have borrowed" lifestyle?