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Who Is The Bigger Fool?

One day, a very learned man, while travelling in a poor country, decided to go across big river, so he asked one of the village people who owned a small boat, if he would take him, to this request the boatman agreed.

As they started, the sun became obscured by dark clouds, and as the river was large, the gentleman realised that the crossing would take some time. So he started a conversation with the boatman.

“Did you know that the sun is approximately 93,000,000miles away, and yet it has provided heat and light, throughout the universe since time immemorial, baring that, if it was to shift, even a fraction of an inch out of its orbit, there would be total devastation?”

The boatman replied; “My dear sir, I am just a simple man who has had no education, there is no way I could know such information”

“Then” said the gentleman “You are 25% fool”.

Some time passed, and as they were coming to the ½ way mark, the thunder began to rumble.

“Did you know notice the lightening, just before the rumbling sound”. The gentleman asked. He continued. “Do you know how that phenomenon occurs”

“No sir” replied the boatman.

“Its occurrence is due to the expansion of rapidly heated air,” the gentleman exclaimed, “ You are 50% fool.

About ¾ of the way the weather completely changed. It became dark and started to rain heavily and started filling up the little boat with water clearly making it difficult for the boatman. But the foolish gentleman insisted in questioning.

“Do you know how we get rain”,

“No sir,” was the reply.”

“ The sun evaporates water from the sea, this gets stored in the clouds which then travel by be wind power, then when they become full, it lets all the water go, over the land. That’s how we get rain.”

“You are 75% fool.” Said the gentleman, now feeling very smug.

The gentleman was suddenly interrupted from his basqueing by a loud cry from the boatman, “Oh no! I have lost my oar and now the water is about capsize the boat, we have no alternative but to swim the remainder of the way, luckily for us it is not very far.”

 “But I can’t swim,” cried the gentleman now seeing his own imminent death.

 “Then my dear sir, you are 100% fool” said the boatman.

Dear FFJ Readers, please give a fitting moral to this story, in the comments below!


58 Responses to Who Is The Bigger Fool?

  1. Anwar September 18, 2013 at 3:49 PM #

    Respect others knowledge and show yourself has the least knowledge, it is the key to learn.

  2. Quazi Rizwan September 18, 2013 at 12:37 PM #

    Never Underestimate the knowledge of other just by looking. A looking fool may have more knowledge than an intelligent one…

  3. Abba July 21, 2013 at 1:50 AM #

    No mortal knows every thing. Therefore, everybody should be respected cos he may know what many others, no matter what they know, dont know.

  4. lamis May 21, 2013 at 5:45 AM #

    hahahah
    very amazing

  5. shadia November 16, 2012 at 12:06 PM #

    The gentleman is busy, arrogant and proud of his knowledge that led to his final fate

  6. Sonah November 11, 2012 at 3:22 PM #

    People who are educated must be humble,and also, and more importantly, practical.

  7. rehana August 4, 2012 at 5:20 PM #

    The one who thinks others FOOL is a biggest Fool himself.

    • Sara - Admin August 6, 2012 at 12:55 PM #

      Rightly said.

  8. Ismaeel July 27, 2012 at 9:00 PM #

    Don’t try to prove others how much you know instead try to learn from others because there is a whole lot you still don’t know.

    • Sara - Admin July 31, 2012 at 3:32 PM #

      Rightly said Ismaeel.

  9. shabruh July 27, 2012 at 2:40 AM #

    “Tell those who claim knowledge, you knew something but missed so many things”
    Translated from a arabic poem

    • Sara - Admin July 31, 2012 at 3:33 PM #

      So True.

  10. fatima July 26, 2012 at 9:41 PM #

    U may know alot yet at the sight of some other u are an ignorant person. Repect people as they are.

  11. Imran July 25, 2012 at 10:04 PM #

    “Don’t Be Over Smart”

  12. Abdelbagi Elbashir July 25, 2012 at 1:06 PM #

    the wisdom is to learn something from every thing so i think the educated man is not wise enugh to underestimate the boatman. I think he has to learn from him not to teach him information very advanced to uneducated man.

  13. Yash March 2, 2012 at 12:07 PM #

    one may have knowledge for either literacy or skill…but they can’t have both. Even if they do, they always will have someone with more than what they do.

  14. Mohans0405 January 17, 2012 at 4:20 AM #

    story to be rememberd throught life(experiance is always greater than knowledge)

  15. Zulfikar January 16, 2012 at 1:18 PM #

     Not to Boast Oneself and make others a fool or make fun of someone who has less knowledge. Allah is All knowing and will Humiliate the Boaster in His own ways.

  16. Charles January 16, 2012 at 9:33 AM #

    Everyone is a fool somewhere in life.

  17. Falcon January 15, 2012 at 10:09 AM #

     HE IS 100% DEAD!
    thanks.

  18. Seaskazmi January 15, 2012 at 8:36 AM #

    never boast urself, never compare ur gr8ness in one field with the man who may b a master of his own field. God is the only THE GREAT

  19. Mahmood January 15, 2012 at 6:56 AM #

    Only knowledge does not work unless it is supported by relevent skills.

  20. Shaikhvasi January 13, 2012 at 5:57 PM #

    To estimate, do not underestimate……….

  21. Shaikhvasi January 13, 2012 at 5:57 PM #

    To estimate, do not underestimate……….

    • Aminakh7 January 13, 2012 at 6:14 PM #

      U r right, too much ppl shod bhave this way.

  22. Anonymous January 13, 2012 at 3:47 PM #

    good story, people shouldn’t make fun of others just for fun

  23. Bahiaturk January 13, 2012 at 9:28 AM #

    Life is a symphony where everyone plays his own part of the symphony.  So we should never underestimate the role of others no matter what instruments are under our control.

  24. Abmalik January 13, 2012 at 6:26 AM #

    Common sense that is not common should have told him that it was not wise to tout your knowledge arrogantly before others because it does not hold the answer to all the problems one might come across in life.

    Thanks, Sara!

    • Sara January 13, 2012 at 6:42 AM #

      Thanks!

  25. cant4getu January 12, 2012 at 11:10 PM #

    Never underestimate the knowledge of others, because they might have what you don’t have.

    • Sara January 13, 2012 at 6:45 AM #

      Congrats! Your moral is chosen as the Best!!

  26. Mubarek Alamin85 January 12, 2012 at 9:33 PM #

    ????? ???? ??????

  27. Muhammad Khalid January 12, 2012 at 8:25 PM #

    It doesn’t matter how GOD created the universe….what does really matter is how to deal with it

  28. ALI January 12, 2012 at 6:09 PM #

    THANKS M../SARA THIS STORY IS NICE AND YOU NOW THAT THERE IS SO MANY THINGS IN YOUR LIFE NO WAY TO LEARN IT BUT THIS NOT MEAN THAT WITH OUT
    IT YOU ARE 1% FOOOOL AND ALSO NOT MEAN THAT YOU DIDNT WANT IT IN YOUR LIFE….
    ALSO  THE MAEN THING  IS AVEREY BODY HAVING AGOOD KNOWLLAGE OF SOME THING  IN HIS LIFE THAT IS WHAY DONT THINK ABOUT FOOL. BECAUSE WE ARE NOT BERFECT…………..

  29. Umzayd January 12, 2012 at 4:44 PM #

    Empty vessels make more noise!! Lol!!

  30. Sheeraz Shaikh January 12, 2012 at 4:01 PM #

    The deepest thing in any one is the conviction of the bad luck that follows boasting.

  31. JunniVet January 12, 2012 at 12:36 PM #

    Luck decides who’s fool. 😛

  32. Hamed mansour hamed January 12, 2012 at 12:23 PM #

    Each time has its own knowledge , using knowledge in the wrong situation is top of stupidity    

  33. 100% January 12, 2012 at 11:03 AM #

    the story had many structural and grammar mistakes…
    The one who wrote it is 150% fool… lol
    Other than that, I saw the ending coming XD

  34. HAIDER ALI786 January 12, 2012 at 10:56 AM #

    ITS NICE STORY SARA
    AND I THINK ITS MOREL WILL BE
    EVERY PERSON IS RICH IN GOD’S EYE

  35. Shivamms January 12, 2012 at 10:33 AM #

    Dont Be Smart

  36. Nazeer Ataullah January 12, 2012 at 10:07 AM #

    Very inspiring story indeed.  You can interpret this story into this way also, knowing so much but not knowing the basic.  Knowing ‘much about the creators but nothing about the creator’.  Audit of everything of our business but failed to audit our life.  Failed to know the purpose of our existence.  Universe is serving me I to serve whom?.  These are the very conveniently forgotten questions but with great degrees, PhD and what not! Woe to such life sara.

    • Sara January 16, 2012 at 10:44 AM #

      Words of wisdom Nazeer!

  37. Yi6558 January 12, 2012 at 9:43 AM #

    The gentle man thinks he know everything. But the local boat man have survival skill more  than the other “educated”” man.

  38. Yi6558 January 12, 2012 at 9:43 AM #

    The gentle man thinks he know everything. But the local boat man have survival skill more  than the other “educated”” man.

  39. Abedarkar January 12, 2012 at 9:36 AM #

    moral is bookworm and bookish knowledge does not decide if a man is too intelligent and versatile……..one having practical knowledge and knows how to tackle about every adverse situation in life is truly the smart person ….now we know who was the fool out of the two….

    • Sara January 13, 2012 at 6:44 AM #

      Good Moral!!

  40. Asyedsami January 12, 2012 at 9:32 AM #

    Barking dog never bites…

  41. Assadullah January 12, 2012 at 9:01 AM #

    An expert is the one who knows one thing more than others on the ground.

  42. Sayed Kadiri January 12, 2012 at 8:45 AM #

    Knowledge is only relative to what you need to know. Everything else is just window dressing.

  43. Sayed Kadiri January 12, 2012 at 8:45 AM #

    Knowledge is only relative to what you need to know. Everything else is just window dressing.

  44. mUnX January 12, 2012 at 8:30 AM #

    DO learn swimmin coz it can happen with you…..lolx

  45. sis January 12, 2012 at 8:28 AM #

    simple skills are necessary for survival

  46. Melqady January 12, 2012 at 8:16 AM #

    knowledge is always good,but don’t accuse others who don’t know your knowledge that they are fool;because-for sure-they know some knowledge in other fields.No limits for the knowledge & every one learn something new everyday.

  47. Anjum Bashir January 12, 2012 at 7:45 AM #

    Irrelevant  knowledge is useless …!!!

  48. Anjum Bashir January 12, 2012 at 7:45 AM #

    Irrelevant  knowledge is useless …!!!

  49. Engineer January 12, 2012 at 7:14 AM #

    All knowledge is not beneficial. We need gain the correct type of knowledge which will be useful for us.

  50. Hitsns January 12, 2012 at 6:40 AM #

    Knowledge lies in the mind,not in degrees