Hasidic Folktale – Crowded House

A poor man was so distressed at how small and crowded his house was that he went to see his rabbi for advice. The rabbi told him to go home and move his goat into the house, then to come visit the rabbi again in a week. The man did as he was told and returned to the rabbi a week later.
“How is it now?” asked the rabbi.
“Impossible,” said the man.
The rabbi instructed the man to go home and move all his chickens into the house, then to return again in a week. A week later the man was banging on the rabbi’s door.
“How is it now?” asked the rabbi.
“Impossible,” the man replied. “I cannot go on like this.” The rabbi told the man to go home, take the chickens and the goat out of the house, and return again in a week. Once more the man did as instructed.
The next week the man stood at the rabbi’s door with a broad grin and a well-rested manner.
“So,” the rabbi said, “now how is it?”
“A blessing on you, Rabbi,” the man said. “My life is so much better. I don’t know how to thank you.”
– Hasidic folktale