The gate without a latch

There was a farmer who had a little gate which opened from his yard into a field. This litter gate wanted a latch, and therefore would not be fastened. The result was that the gate was generally either flapping backward and forward in the wind, or standing wide open. In this way the poultry used to get out and the cattle used to get in.

“If you don’t mend the gate,” said the farmer’s wife, “the cattle will spoil all the kitchen garden.” But the farmer replied.” If I bought a latch, it would cost me sixpenny, but it is not worth while”. So the gate remained without a latch.

One day a fat pig got out of its sty and, as the gate was wide open, ran into the field. The farmer was in the stable, tying up his horse, but he left it and ran after the pig. “If I run after my husband we shall catch the pig sooner,” thought the wife who was ironing some shirts in the kitchen. She left her work and followed her husband.

The daughter was cooking dinner but she stopped cooking and ran after her mother.

The farmer’s son joined the whole family and they all ran after the pig towards the wood. But suddenly the boy fell dawn and broke his leg. The farmer and his wife were suddenly the boy fell down and broke his leg. The farmer and his wife were obliged to stop and to carry him back to the house.

Meanwhile the pig disappeared into the wood.

When they got back home, the first thing they saw was a shirt spoiled by the hot iron. “Oh, dear me,” cried the daughter, “the soup has boiled over.” The father went to the yard and found that the horse got into the kitchen garden and trampled dawn the vegetables.

“You see,” said his wife, “Tommy has broken his leg, we have lost our best pig, all our cabbages, to say nothing of the lost of our dinner- all for the want of a sixpenny latch. If I were you, I should buy a latch at once and mend the gate.”

THE LUNCHEON

It was 20 years ago, and I was living in Paris. I had a tiny apartment, and I was earning hardly any money as a writer. A lady wrote to me about a book of mine, saying that she would like to have a chat- could we meet for lunch? She suggested that we went to an extremely expensive restaurant. I could not afford to eat there, but I was too young to say “no” to a woman. I had 80 francs to last me to the end of the month, and a modest lunch should not cost more that 15 francs. I agreed to meet her at the restaurant at 12.30.

I was startled when I saw the menu, because the princes were much higher than I expected. But she reassured me. “I never eat more than one thing for lunch. A little fish, perhaps. Do they have any salmon?” I ordered it for my guest. Then the waiter asked her if she wanted anything to start with. “Do you have a little caviar?” My heart sank. I ordered caviar for her, and a lamb chop for myself- that was the cheapest thing on the menu.

Then came the question of drink. “I never drink anything at lunchtime… except champagne”, she declared. I ordered half a bottle and explained that my doctor had absolutely forbidden me to drink champagne.

So I ordered coffee for myself, and an ice- cream and coffee for her. Then a terrible thing happened. The waiter came up to us with a huge basket of peaches. Lord knew what they cost.

When the bill came, I only had three francs left for a tip. I left the restaurant with no money in my pocket and the whole month before me.

Дата добавления: 2015-10-29