দু-কানে ফুটিয়ে দিয়ে কাঁকড়ার দাঁড়া বর বলে, 'কান দুটো ধীরে ধীরে নাড়া।' বউ দেখে আয়নায়, জাপানে কি চায়নায় হাজার হাজার আছে মেছনীর পাড়া-- কোথাও ঘটেনি কানে এত বড়ো ফাঁড়া।
'PRISONER, TELL me, who was it that bound you?' 'It was my master,' said the prisoner. 'I thought I could outdo everybody in the world in wealth and power, and I amassed in my own treasure-house the money due to my king. When sleep overcame me I lay upon the bed that was for my lord, and on waking up I found I was a prisoner in my own treasure-house.' 'Prisoner, tell me who was it that wrought this unbreakable chain?' 'It was I,' said the prisoner, 'who forged this chain very carefully. I thought my invincible power would hold the world captive leaving me in a freedom undisturbed. Thus night and day I worked at the chain with huge fires and cruel hard strokes. When at last the work was done and the links were complete and unbreakable, I found that it held me in its grip.'
