“Dad, what’s the smallest thing in the world?”

“Human life, my child. You’ve barely begun to live, and you’re already old.”

“Really? But our physics teacher said it’s the electron…

And what’s the longest thing in the world?…”

“Human life. You make so many mistakes that even your great-grandchildren can’t fix them.”

“Our geography teacher said it’s the equator. Was she lying?..

Dad, hey Dad, what’s the most valuable thing?”

“Human life.”

“Exactly! We studied that in literature.

So then what’s the cheapest thing?”

“Human life, my child. It’s traded away for pennies, sometimes even given away for nothing.”

“In history they told us it’s the labor of slaves, Dad! You must have forgotten.

Alright then, you name the most difficult theorem.”

“Human life, my son. Every day, from morning till night, you’re proving something—to yourself and to others.”

“No, no, no! It’s Fermat’s theorem—our math teacher told us! You’re funny, Dad.”

“Do you know what the simplest cell is?”

“Human life. It has no barred windows, no doors with clever locks, no ever-watchful guard—yet very often, there’s no way out either.”

“But I’m asking from biology! Because the textbook says that…

Oh, forget it, Dad! Why are you laughing?..

And is it true that Einstein was the smartest of all?”

“The smartest is the one who was born last.”

“And is it true that Poddubny was the strongest of all?”

“The strongest is the one who knows the languages of his enemies.”

“And who is the most beautiful?”

“The most beautiful is the one who never looks in the mirror.”

“And the kindest—is that the one who feels sorry for everyone?”

“The kindest, my child, is the one who does not spare himself.”

“Daddy, how interesting! Mom says you’re always right…”

“No, of course not.”

“Then who is?”

“You.”

“Why, Dad?”

“You are right because you are younger. Remember that.”

“Oh, that’s wonderful!”

“And now go to sleep—it’s late. Mom will scold us if she sees you’re still awake…”

Courtesy to ©Alexander Shchyogolev

Translated into English by ©Excellence Reporter 2026