A long, long time ago, a kind old woman lived next door to a young woman. The
young woman had a very fierce mother-in-law. One day, the mother-in-law chased
the young woman from the house. She said she had stolen some food. The young
woman went to see the old woman living next door.
“Don’t be unhappy!” the old woman said. “You can stay with me. I will think of
a way to make your mother-in-law ask you to return.”
A few evening afterwards, she called at the mother-in-law’s house. She carried
a lamp in her hand.
“Ah!” she cried. “My dogs have stolen some food. Can you please give me a light
for my lamp? I want to go and look for them. When I find them, I shall give
them a good beating. They have given me a lot of trouble.”
Afterwards, the mother-in-law thought about what she had said, “Perhaps my
daughter-in-law did not steal the food,” she said. “Anyway, she really does not
look like a thief.” She decided to ask her to return home.
Several days later, the young woman met the old woman again. She thanked her
for her help. “It is nothing,” the old woman replied. “But now you will
understand that it is not always easy to make people believe the truth.
