A Father asked his two daughters what they wanted. One wanted rain for the plants; the other wanted sunshine to dry tiles. Father could not please both.
You cannot please everyone.
A Father of two daughters had one marry a gardener and the second a tile-maker. He asked the first if there was anything he could get for her. She said: “All is well, except that I wish for a nice rain in order to water all the plants.” A short time later the Father asked his other daughter the same question. She replied: “All is well here, except that I wish for continued sunshine in order to dry the tiles.” The Father could not decide between the two and could do neither.
Townsend version
A Man had two daughters, the one married to a gardener, and the other to a tile-maker. After a time he went to the daughter who had married the gardener, and inquired how she was and how all things went with her. She said, “All things are prospering with me, and I have only one wish, that there may be a heavy fall of rain, in order that the plants may be well watered.” Not long after, he went to the daughter who had married the tilemaker, and likewise inquired of her how she fared; she replied, “I want for nothing, and have only one wish, that the dry weather may continue, and the sun shine hot and bright, so that the bricks might be dried.” He said to her, “If your sister wishes for rain, and you for dry weather, with which of the two am I to join my wishes?”
Pater et Filiae Duae
Habens quidam duas filias, harum alteram olitori, alteram vero figulo nuptum dedit. Progressu autem temporis, olitori iunctam convenit eamque quomodo se haberet resque eius uti procederent interrogavit. Illa autem, nihil quidem sibi deesse ait, sed hoc unum se Deos rogare, nempe ut hiems adveniat et imber, eo nimirum, ut olera abunde irrigentur. Non multo post, ad alteram quoque, quam figulo dederat, invisendam se contulit et eam, simili modo, ut se haberet est percontatus. Cumque illa respondisset se nullius rei indigere, nisi ut purus aether solque lucidus continuo esset, ut nimirum fictile opus exsiccaretur, id pater audiens, “Si tu,” inquit, “serenum desideras, tua vero soror hiemem cupit, cui vestrum meas preces adiungam?”
Perry #094