Mother, to her hopeful son standing at the door one night:
"Come in an' shut th' door, John, what ar't doin' theer?"
"Aw'm lookin' at th' moon."
"Lookin' at th' moon! Come in aw tell thae, an' let th' moon alone."
"Who's touching th' moon?"
The Municipal Authorities of a Lancashire town, in laying out a public park which had been presented by a wealthy citizen, added to its other attractions a large ornamental lake, formed by damming up a stream that ran through the grounds. One of the park committee, in the course of a speech extolling the beauty of the lake, suggested that they might put a gondola upon it. Another of his confreres on the Council, thinking that a swan or other aquatic fowl was meant, responded: "What's th' use o' having only one gondola? let's ha' two and then they con breed."
As likely as not this was a stroke of wit rather than a blunder.
