An irritable man went to visit a sick friend, and asked him concerning his health. The patient was so ill that he could not reply; whereupon the other, in a rage, said, “I hope that I may soon fall sick, and then I will not answer you when you visit me.”
A speculative gentleman, wishing to teach his horse to live without food, starved him to death. “I suffered a great loss,” said he, “for just as he learned to live without eating, he died.”
A robust countryman, meeting a physician, ran to hide behind a wall: being asked the cause, he replied, “It is so long since I have been sick, that I am ashamed to look a physician in the face.”
A curious inquirer, desirous to know how he looked when asleep, sat with closed eyes before a mirror.
A man, hearing that a raven would live two hundred years, bought one to try.
One of twin brothers died: a fellow, meeting the survivor, asked, “Which is it that’s dead, you or your brother?”
A man who had to cross a river entered a boat on horseback: being asked why, he replied, “I must ride, because I am in a hurry.”
A foolish fellow, having a house to sell, took a brick from the wall to exhibit as a sample.
A man, meeting a friend, said, “I spoke to you last night in a dream.” “Pardon me,” replied the other; “I did not hear you.”
A man that had nearly been drowned while bathing, declared that he would never enter the water again till he had learned to swim.