Deep in the coal mine

The chill of late October had started creeping in, but down in the coal mine, the air was still thick and warm. Outside, the first snow of the season had begun to fall, blanketing the ground in a thin layer of white, but Badger and Yote were far below the surface, working by the dim light of their lanterns.

They had been at it since early morning, chipping away at the coal, loading carts, and pushing deeper into the dark tunnel. Their voices echoed in the quiet mine, punctuated by the occasional thud of a pickaxe against rock. The smell of earth and coal dust hung in the air, a stark contrast to the crisp fall air outside.

Yote paused, wiping the sweat from his brow, his breath visible in the cooler sections of the mine. "You know, Badger," he said, leaning against his pickaxe, "it’s funny to think that while we’re down here, the first snow is falling above us."

Badger, never one to lose focus, kept his steady rhythm of work, but his ears perked at Yote’s words. “I can feel it in the air already. The chill’s coming.”

Yote chuckled, pulling a matchbook from his pocket and twirling it between his fingers. “Speaking of the cold… I’ve got a riddle for you, something to warm up that brain of yours.”

Badger set down his pickaxe, raising an eyebrow. “Alright, Yote, what’s your puzzle this time?”

Yote struck a thoughtful pose, grinning through the dust.

“You’ve got three stoves: a gas stove, a wood stove, and a coal stove. But you’ve only got one match. Which one should you light first?”

Badger scratched his chin, the flickering light of the lanterns casting long shadows on the mine walls. “Three stoves and one match, huh? Let me think…”

They stood there in the quiet of the mine, the riddle hanging in the air as snow continued to drift gently to the ground above.

🧠 This riddle serves as a simple but powerful reminder of priorities. Whether it’s lighting a stove or tackling the first task of the day, knowing what to focus on first can make all the difference. In their work at the coal mine or preparing for the cold winter ahead, Badger and Yote know that starting with the basics which is the key to everything else falling into place.