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peasant and his wife had a half-witted son, who pictured himself married an sleeping with his wife. He spoke of this matter to his father.

"Marry me, little father," he said.

Said the little father:

"Wait, my son. You are still too young marry. Thy yard hath not yet reached to thy backside. When it doth reach there, I will marry thee."

The son seized his yard with his two hands, stretched it with all his strength, and inspected it.

"'Tis true," quoth he. "It hath not yet reached to my backside. 'Tis still too soon for me to marry. My yard is yet small. It reacheth not to my backside. I must wait a year or two."

Time passed. The youth had naught to do but lengthen his yard; and he did it so often and so well that not only did his yard reach to his backside, but even passed beyond it.

"I shall have no shame in sleeping with my wife," said he. "I will satisfy her myself. She will have no need to resort to strangers."

"Vain to expect sense on the part of a fool,"