Flanders
Once upon a time there were a man and a woman. One evening they did not know what to eat. Finally the man spoke, "Wife, let us eat porridge."
"No," said the woman, "for then tomorrow I would have to wash out the porridge pot, and I won't do that."
"I won't do it either," said the man, and they fell to quarreling who would have to wash out the porridge pot. Finally they agreed that the first one of them to speak would have to wash it out.
They ate their porridge and went to bed. The next morning neither of them said anything about getting up. Seven o'clock came, eight o'clock, even twelve o'clock, and the two still lay in bed. The neighbors were concerned and said to one another, "Robbers must have come and murdered both of them."
So they broke down the door, entered the bedroom, and told them to get up, but received no answer. Then one of the neighbors said, "Wait, let's fetch the priest so they can say their confessions."
The priest came, but they refused to say their confessions, remaining as still as mice. The priest went home, and the two remained lying there until evening, and neither said a word. Then the priest returned and asked, "Have they said anything yet?"
"No," replied the neighbors.
"Then stay here and care for them!" said the priest.
"Yes, and who is going to pay us for it?" asked the neighbors.
The priest answered, "You'll be paid. There is a good coat hanging on the wall over there. Take it and sell it, and then you'll have your money."
With that the woman cried out with anger, "What? You want to take my coat? Take your own things, but leave other people's things to them."
"Aha," said the man. "Now go and wash out the porridge pot!" And so the woman had to wash out the porridge pot.
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