Grimm's Household Tales

How fortunate a master is, and how well everything goes in his house, when he has a wise servant who listens to his orders and does not obey them but prefers to follow his own wisdom. A clever John of this kind was once sent out by his master to look for a lost cow. He stayed away for a long time, and the master thought, “Faithful John spares no pains over his work!” As, however, he did not come back at all, the master was afraid that some misfortune had befallen him and set out himself to look for him. He had to search for a long time, but at last he saw the boy, who was running up and down a large field. “Now, dear John,” said the master when he had come up to him, “have you found the cow that I sent you to look for?” “No, master,” he answered, “I have not found the cow, but then I have not looked for it.” “Then what have you looked for, John?” “Something better, and luckily I have found it.” “What is that, John?” “Three blackbirds,” answered the boy. “And where are they?” asked the master. “I see one of them, I hear the other, and I am running after the third,” answered the wise boy.

Take an example from this: do not trouble yourselves about your masters or their orders, but rather do whatever comes into your head and pleases you, and then you will act just as wisely as prudent John.