Long ago, there was a princess who was crazy about listening to stories. She wanted to listen to stories all the time. Regarding her marriage, she laid down a condition, `I will marry a person who is prepared to tell me stories.’

After hearing this strange condition, no one came forward to marry her.

At last a young man took up the challenge. He accepted the princess’ condition and married her.

The man now began telling stories to his wife. He told her stories about kings and queens.., animals and birds…, fish and insects.., stories of distant lands…; there was no end to the series of stories.

Once, on a chilly winter night, a stranger knocked at their door. When the husband opened the door, the stranger said, `Sir I am a traveler. It is cold outside. Will you please give me shelter for the night?’ the husband said, `Yes I will! But you have to tell stories to my wife continually.’

The stranger agreed. He entered the house and met the woman. He said, `Well, I can tell you stories continually, but on one condition.’

`What is the condition?’ asked the woman.

`You will not interrupt me when I am telling you a story,’ replied the stranger.

The woman said, `why should I interrupt you, and it I interrupt you, I promise, I will never listen to any story for the rest of my life.’

The woman prepared delicious dishes for dinner and served them to the stranger. After dinner, the stranger began his first story.

`There was a hunter. He had a big net. One day he caught all the birds living in a forest in his net. He was about to sell them when he felt sorry. So he decided to free all the birds. He freed one bird and it flew away…. He freed one more bird and it also flew away… he freed one more bird and it also flew away... he freed one bird and it also flew away… he freed one more bird and …..’ The stranger kept on repeating the same sentence.

The woman was tired of listening to the same sentence again and again.

Finally, she lost her patience.

She said, `He freed one more bird and it flew away…. What kind of a story is this?’

The stranger said, `it is the most important part of my story. But you have failed to fulfill condition! You have interrupted me. Now I will not continue my story. You will never come to know what happened to the hunter after had freed all the birds.’

The woman kept her promise that she would never listen to any story for the rest of her life. Her husband was relieved of the boring job of telling story.