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HERE was once a poor farm laborer, so poor that all he owned in the world was a hen. He told his wife to take this hen to market and sell it.

“How much shall I ask for it?” the woman wanted to know.

“Ask as much as they’ll pay, of course,” the laborer said.

So the woman took the hen by the feet and set out. Near the village she met a farmer.

“Good day,” the farmer said. “Where are you going with that hen?”

“I’m going to market to sell it for as much as they’ll pay me.”

The farmer weighed the hen in his hand, pursed his lips, thought a moment, and said:

“You better sell it to me. I’ll pay you three pennies for it.”

“Three pennies? Are you sure that’s as much as you’ll pay?”

“Yes,” the farmer said, “three pennies is as much as I’ll pay.”