The Old Woman and the Bread

Just got back from a lecture about storytelling given at Sony Pictures Imageworks by Joel ben Izzy .
He told a story about an poor old woman who liked to smell the bread as she passed by a bakery in Jerusalem. The owner of the store watched her do this every day and finally confronted her.

"You must pay me," he demanded.

"But why? I did not eat the bread... I am just enjoying the smell!"

"Yes, but I own the bread. Therefore I own the smell. You must pay me."

She could not, for she only had two coins in her cup. So he took her to the court of King Solomon. Others hearing about this thought it ridiculous -- you do not have to pay for the smell of bread!? But the King heard the case nonetheless.

"Did you in fact smell the bread?"

"Well yes.. but I did not take the bread, nor did I eat it... I..."

"That is not what I am asking... did you smell the bread from this man's bakery?"

"Well yes... yes I did."

King Solomon, the wise, thought for a moment and said sternly. "Then you must pay the man."

The court gasped. The baker looked pleased. The old woman pleaded.

"But your majesty, I cannot pay... I am poor..."

"How much do you have?" asked the King.

She rattled her can of coins. *clinkety-clink* Just then, the Baker reached out his hand to take the coins.
But the King pushed his arm out of the way.

"You have been paid." said the King firmly.

"But your majesty, she has not given me the coins yet!" argued the baker.

"Did you hear the sound of her coins?" asked King Solomon.

"Well yes, but --"

"She owns the coins, and the sound of the coins. Thus, you have been paid for the bread."

(This is a highly butchered version... but the RIAA could learn something from this story, perhaps? There are appropriate times to pay for a song. Just because you own it, doesn't mean you should be paid every time someone hears it.)