THERE WAS ONCE A WATCHMAKER in a village in Switzerland who could make the finest watches and alarm clocks in the whole world. So fine where his watches, that among his clients one could find lords and Kings. And while others thought he was really talented, he knew that his real talent was his diligence: he got up early in the morning, and worked till late in the night, following a strict program with no deviations.
The devil tried too many times to get him out of schedule, yet he gave his work his full attention and avoided the excesses of the other peasants. At times, the devil would often have someone visit him with a bottle of wine or invite him over to a festival, but he knew exactly how to stick to his schedule so his hard work would not be in danger. His whole life was so ‘well-ticked’ like the clocks that he would miss nothing.
The devil then thought of setting a trap for him. He appeared in front of him taking the form a stranger and wearing a green cape that covered his fur, then told him that he suffered from insomnia, ordering him to create a very special anti-alarm clock, one that would put him to sleep instead of waking him up. He even gave him a special gear which the watchmaker would use to create the anti-alarm clock.
The watchmaker agreed to the stranger’s demands despite being puzzled by the nature of the request. He then started working day and night, and indeed it took him much effort to understand how the mysterious gear worked. He tried it many times on existing alarm clocks, and changing the mechanism. He worked hard, until many days and nights had passed that nobody had seen him in the village.
Seeing that it had taken him way too long, the devil thought his trick had worked: the watchmaker must have ticked the anti-alarm clock and used it on himself, falling asleep as a result. He then went over to his workshop for one more time and hit the door, wearing the same green cape. The tired watchmaker whose eyes had become red from lack of sleep opened the door and welcomed him, telling to him that he had come right on time.
When the devil asked him about the anti-alarm clock, the watchmaker replied: “I worked for five days and five nights with no sleep, yet I did it”.
The watchmaker then presented him a complicated mechanism that was supposed to be the anti-alarm clock. To make sure it worked properly, the devil ticked it right in front of them, with the clock sounding as a result and putting them both to sleep. As soon as the devil woke up the next morning, he saw the watchmaker working and examining two pairs of gears, one for a smaller and one for a bigger watch.
He then told him: “The anti-alarm clock put us both to sleep, and indeed I would not be on my feet on time if it were not for my perfectly set biological clock that wakes me up every morning”.
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