Murder Will Out
Having just recovered from a severe illness, the amiable author of fairy tales, Musäus, was invited out to a dinner. Everybody there was pleased to see him looking so well, and congratulated him on his recovery; but at last his wife could keep silent no longer and confessed that he only looked so well, because he had used her rouge when dressing.
“Well, the murder is out,” said Musäus; “do you feel better now? Yes, I did paint myself red, because I dislike being pitied on account of my illness, and would rather be envied for my healthy looks. But since my wife is such a tell-tale, I shall not keep silent either, and will tell you of a bright remark she made, a short time ago, while we were driving to Erfurt. We were passing a field of flax in full bloom and I said: ‘See how beautifully blue the flax is!’ At this my wife points to the field next to it and says, just to show her extraordinary knowledge of farming: ‘Yes, but the tow in the next field is looking fine too.’”