So Tommy sang the following verse:
"A big frog lived in a slimy bog,
And caught a cold in an awful fog.
The cold got worse,
The frog got hoarse,
Till croaking he scared a polliwog!"
"You are quite a poet," declared the alderman; "and now you shall have the white bread upon one condition."
"What is it?" said Tommy, anxiously.
"That you cut the slice into four parts."
"But I have no knife!" remonstrated the boy.
"But that is the condition," insisted the alderman. "If you want the bread you must cut it."
"Surely you do not expect me to cut the bread without any knife!" said Tommy.
"Why not?" asked the alderman, winking his eye at the company.