In England, the story is told, a lady opened her front door in a driving rainstorm.
A rain soaked lady stood there and said, "Pardon, the wind and rain have
completely done me in and I forgot to take an
umbrella. I was wondering if I might borrow one - I'll return it of
course tomorrow."
"Now who is this stranger that stands and
asks of me?" the lady of the house thought. "How do I know
she'd bring it back?" The The lady had an older
umbrella behind the door with broken
spines. "Even if the visitor doesn't return it," she said to
herself, "I wouldn't have lost much." So she handed it to
the stranger. The next day a fine carriage approached the
house and stopped in front of her house. A footman
came up to the door and politely knocked. "Pardon madam.
The QUEEN wishes to express her thanks for your
kindness of yesterday," he said as he handed her the
"borrowed umbrella."
"Oh," she thought. "Here was the Queen, and I gave
her less
than the best I had."
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