Once upon a time there was a man, who had a son. His son was unbelievably  lazy. He had grown up and was a big boy, but did not want to do any work. So far, he had not earned a penny.  While his father was strong enough to work, he took care of his son. When  father became old and had no strength to work, he called his wife and said: 

- I’m going to give all my wealth to others. I will not leave anything to my son.  He is lazy and useless.  A son who can’t earn a living would not take care of father’s property either. 

Mother took these words painfully and  took  son’s side:

- Why do you say he can’t earn? He would earn, if need be.

But  husband did not renounce his words:

- If he can, let him earn. If he brings at least one gold coin, I would give him all my wealth.

- All right, - agreed wife.

Mother went to her son and gave him a gold coin, saying:

- Spend your time somewhere during the day and, in the evening, come back home and give the gold coin to your father.   And say you have earned it by your own labour. 

* * *

Son did as  mother had said.  He loitered about the whole day and returned home in the evening. Giving the gold coin to his father, he complained:

- I have worked hard  all day long to earn this coin...

Father took the gold and threw into the hearth.  Son, looking after the gold, puzzled at what the father did. However, did not make any move. Father said:

- You did not earn this money, my son!

Son shrugged his shoulders and went away, looking offended. 

The next day, mother gave him another gold coin and said:

- Walk to mountains and valleys. When it becomes dark, run until you sweat hard. Then go to your father and say you have earned this coin by your sweat and blood. 

* * *

Son did what the mother had said. In the evening, he came back to his father, bathing in sweat, and said:

- You see, I’m bathing in sweat. I’ve earned this gold by my sweat and blood. 

Again,  father took the coin and threw into the hearth.

- You can’t deceive me, son! You have not earned this money.

Son said nothing and left the room. 

Mother realized that things look bad, and said:

- Son, we can’t deceive him.  Now there is no way out.  It is necessary for you to earn money yourself.  Go and work.  Earn at least two pennies a day and bring to your father. And he would believe you. 

* * *

Son listened to his mother. He worked the whole week and earned some money and brought to his father. Father took the money and, again, threw into the hearth:

- No, son, you have not earned this money too.

Son could not tolerate this, jumped towards the stove, thrust his hands into fire, took them out and said in excitement:

- Father, what are you doing?! To earn this money, I’ve worked the whole week. I still have pain on my back. And you want to burn them in fire. 

This time  father said:

- Look, now I believe you have earned this money by your own labour.