AESOP AND THE TRAVELLER

Aesop was a very clever man who lived many hundreds of years ago in Greece. He wrote many fine stories. He was well known as a man who was fond of jokes. One day, as he was enjoying a walk, he met a traveller, who greeted him and said: "Kind man, can you tell me how soon I shall get to town?" "Go," Aesop answered. "I know I must go," protested the traveller, "but 1 should like you to tell me how soon I shall get to town?"

"Go," Aesop said angrily.

"This man must be mad," the traveller thought and went on.

After he had gone some distance, Aesop shouted after him: "You will get to town in two hours." The traveller turned round in astonishment. "Why didn't you tell me that before?" he asked. "How could I have told you that before?" answered Aesop. "I did not know how fast you could walk."

1. What man was Aesop?

2. What was he?

3. What was he doing one day?

4. What did the traveller, who greeted him, want to know?

5. What did Aesop answer?

6. Was the traveller astonished?

7. Why was he astonished?

8. Did Aesop answer the traveller's question at all?

9. Why did he answer later?