Fergal would dig a hole and Mick would follow behind him and fill the hole in. They worked up one side of the street, then down the other, then moved on to the next street, working furiously all day without rest, Fergal digging a hole and Mick filling it in again.
An American tourist was amazed at their hard work, but couldn't understand what they were doing.
So he asked Fergal, 'I'm impressed by the effort you two are putting in to your work, but I don't get it -- why do you dig a hole, only to have your partner follow behind and fill it up again?'
Fergal wiped his brow and sighed,
'Well, I suppose it probably looks odd because there's normally three of us.
But today the lad who plants the trees is on the sick.'
)
