A Woman, who had lately lost her husband, used to go every day to his grave and lament her loss. A Farmer, who was engaged in ploughing not far from the spot, set eyes upon the Woman and desired to have her for his wife: so he left his plough and came and sat by her side, and began to shed tears himself. She asked him why he wept; and he replied, “I have lately lost my wife, who was very dear to me, and tears ease my grief.” “And I,” said she, “have lost my husband.” And so for a while they mourned in silence. Then he said, “Since you and I are in like case, shall we not do well to marry and live together? I shall take the place of your dead husband, and you, that of my dead wife.” The Woman consented to the plan, which indeed seemed reasonable enough: and they dried their tears. Meanwhile, a thief had come and stolen the oxen which the Farmer had left with his plough. On discovering the theft, he beat his breast and loudly bewailed his loss. When the Woman heard his cries, she came and said, “Why, are you weeping still?” To which he replied: “Yes, and I mean it this time.”
有一个女人，新近丧夫，每天都去丈夫坟墓上凭吊哀悼。有一个农夫在那片墓地附近耕作，看到女人后便很想将她娶回家中做自己的妻子。于是他丢下耕犁，到了那女人旁边，自顾自地哭了起来。女人问他为什么落泪。他回答说：“我妻子最近刚刚过世，她是我珍爱之人，哭泣可以令我好过一些。”女人回答说：“我最近死了丈夫。”于是，他们沉默了一阵。然后男人问道：“既然你我同病相怜，我们何不结婚一起生活呢？我替代你死去的丈夫，你替代我死去的妻子。”女人对这个提议很满意，这听起来的确合理。于是他们擦干了眼泪。就在这个时候，有一个贼偷走了农夫拴在耕犁上的牛。一发现牛被偷了，男人捶胸顿足，大声哀哭了起来。女人听到声音，过来问：“哎呀，你怎么还在哭啊？”男人回答说：“是啊，我这次是真哭啊。”