The Tavern of Dominion.Jokes

Tired of seeing ads? Click here to upgrade to Elite Membership!

Your house is so dirty you have to wipe your feet before you go outside.

Joke/Video of the Week!!

Author

Message / Information

John Smith the hatter and how he saved words
posted on: 5/1/2005 3:12:51 AM

The scene is the nineteenth century in a village near London. John Smith, the village hat-seller, wants to put up a board for his shop. He already has a metal board with a drawing of some hats. He wants to have brass lettering studded on the board below the drawing, to read thus: "HATS MADE AND SOLD HERE BY JOHN SMITH THE HATTER".

Brass-lettering is a costly affair and involving a trip to London and back, spending a whole day. So he asks his friend for advice. The friend reads the sentence drafted by John and says, "Since you sell hats you are obviously a hatter." So John cuts the words "THE HATTER". It now reads: HATS MADE AND SOLD HERE BY JOHN SMITH.

The friend then says, "The customers don't care whether you made them here or bought them from anywhere." So John cuts "MADE AND". It now reads: HATS SOLD HERE BY JOHN SMITH.

The friend then says, "If your shop and your board are here, the hats are obviously not going to be sold anywhere else." So John cuts "HERE". It now reads: HATS SOLD BY JOHN SMITH.

The friend then says, "The customers are not interested in your name, but only the hats. In any case everyone in the village knows your name, and the customers will also know your name when the people will direct them to your shop." So John cuts "BY JOHN SMITH". It now reads: HATS SOLD.

The friend then says, "The hats are not being given away free. They are obviously going to be sold." So John cuts "SOLD". It now reads: HATS.

Then the friend says, "Since you already have the drawing of some hats, there is no need to mention that they are hats, as people will know by the drawing!"

So John abandons his plan to decorate his board with any words, and puts it up with only the drawing of the hats.

Contact Administrator (must be logged in)

Tired of seeing ads? Click here to upgrade to Elite Membership!

ChatArea.com Help & News Forums | Terms of Use | Contact ChatArea.com | Advertising