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was once a porter in the world: he had a wife who was passionately fond of stories, and she would only let people come and visit her who could tell stories. Well, as you may understand, this was rather costly to the husband. So he began to think, "How can I cure her of this undesirable habit?"

Well, one day in the winter, late at night, an old man came in frozen to atoms, and he asked to be allowed to stop the night. So the husband ran out to him and said, "Can you tell tales?"

Then the peasant saw that there was no help for it, as he was simply freezing with cold, and said, "I have an idea: will you tell stories for a long time?"

"Yes, all night long."

"Capital: come in!"

So he led the guest in.

Then the husband said, "Now, my wife, here is a peasant who has promised to tell stories all night long, on the condition that you are not to make any remarks or interruptions."

"Yes," said the guest; "no remarks, or else I shall not open my mouth."

So they had supper and lay down to sleep, and the peasant began—

"There was an owl flying across a garden, and it sat over a well and sipped the water.

"There was an owl flying across a garden, and it sat over a well and sipped the water.