一

　　Longagothereweretwohunchbacks.Onewaskindbuttheotherwasmeanandspiteful.Thetwohunchbackscoldnotworkinthevillagebecauseeverybodymadefunofthem;thereforetheywentintothehillstocutwood.Thatis,thekindonecutallthewoodsincethemeanandspitefulonewasverylazyandwasalwaystellinghiscompanion;

　　"Ay!,howsickIamtoday.Itisbetterifyougoandcutthewoodthisweek."Hispartner,beingkind-hearted,wouldgointothemountainsanddoalltheworkweekafterweek.

　　Oneday,whenthemeanonehadstayedathomeasusual,thegoodwoodcutterworkedveryhardandwasverytired.Sincehishousewasfaraway,hedecidedtocampnearasmallspring.Aboutmidnight,thewoodcutterheardsomeonesinging.Atfirsthethoughtthatsomebodyhadcampednearbybutwhenhehadlistenedtowhatwasbeingsung,herealizedthatthevoicesheheardwerenothuman.

　　二

　　Onceuponatimethefoxwastalkingtothewolfaboutthestrengthofman,hownoanimalcouldwithstandhim,andhowallwereobligedtoemploycunninginordertoprotectthemselvesfromhim.

　　Thewolfanswered,"IfIcouldseeamanjustonce,Iwouldattackhimnonetheless."

　　"Icanhelpyoutodothat,"saidthefox."Cometomeearlytomorrowmorning,andIwillshowyouone."

　　Thewolfarrivedontime,andthefoxtookhimouttothepathwhichthehuntsmanusedeveryday.Firstanolddischargedsoldiercameby.

　　"Isthataman?"askedthewolf.

　　"No,"answeredthefox."Hehasbeenone."

　　Afterwardscamealittleboyonhiswaytoschool.

　　三

　　Danwasthedoormanofaclubinabigcity.Everyday,thousandsofpeoplepassedhisdoor,andalotofthemstoppedandaskedhim,"What'sthetime,please?"

　　Afterafewmonths,Dansaidtohimself,"I'mnotgoingtoanswerallthosestupidpeopleanymore.I'mgoingtobuyabigclockandputituponthewallhere."Thenhedidso.

　　"Nowpeoplearen'tgoingtostopandaskmethetime,"hethoughthappily.Butafterthat,alotofpeoplestopped,lookedattheclockandthenaskedDan,"Isthatclockright?"