The Two Villages

Two villages sat on opposite sides of a lake. One village had skilled fishermen. The other had skilled weavers.

They began to trade. Fish for cloth.

The fishing village, receiving fine cloth, let its weaving skills fade. Why weave when trade was easier?

The weaving village, receiving ample fish, stopped maintaining its boats. Why fish when trade was easier?

Each village grew more dependent on the other. Each forgot what it had known.

When a dispute closed the trade route, neither village could remember how to provide what it had abandoned.