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Three men met at a tavern table. One was a weaver, another a carpenter and the third a ploughman.
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Said the weaver, " I sold a fine linen shroud today for two pieces of gold. Let us have all the wine we want."
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"And I," said the carpenter, "I sold my best coffin. We will have a great roast with the wine."
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"I only dug a grave," said the ploughman, "but my patron paid me double. Let us have honey cakes too."
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And all that evening the tavern was busy, for they called often for wine and meat and cakes. And they were merry.
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And the host rubbed his hands and smiled at his wife; for his guests were spending freely.
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When they left the moon was high, and they walked along the road singing and shouting together.
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The host and his wife stood in the tavern door and looked after them.
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"Ah!" said the wife, "these gentlemen! So freehanded and so gay! If only they could bring us such luck every day! Then our son need not be a tavern-keeper and work so hard. We could educate him, and he could become a priest."
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~ Kahlil Gibran
from Poems, Parables, and Drawings
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