two farmers and two horses
Ret's ESL Jokes
There once was a farmer who had two horses, but for the life of him he could never tell them apart.
Finally, he decided to go over to his neighbour’s place to ask for some advice.
The neighbour, Alfred, replied: “Good grief, Marcel! Just cut the mane off one of them horses, for heaven’s sake!”
So, the farmer went home and cut the mane off one of the horses. But two weeks later, the hair had grown right back.
Marcel headed back to his neighbour’s house, frustrated. Alfred looked at him and barked: “Listen here, Marcel! Just measure their necks, darn it! Then you’ll see which one is longer!”
The farmer went home and spent the afternoon measuring their necks to see which one was longer. That same evening, Marcel ran back to his neighbour’s house, beaming with joy.
“Hey, Alfred! Your trick worked like a charm! It turns out the black horse has a longer neck than the white horse!”
Vocabulary
Tell apart: to distinguish between two similar things or people.
Beaming with joy: smiling broadly because of great happiness.
He could never tell them apart.
Marcel ran back, beaming with joy.
Grammar Focus
The joke uses past simple for the main narrative sequence and past perfect for actions completed before another past event.
Past simple: The farmer went home and cut the mane off one of the horses.
Past perfect: The hair had grown right back.
Reported / indirect speech: Alfred replied that he should just cut the mane off one of them.
Synonyms & Alternatives
Tell apart: distinguish, differentiate.
Beaming with joy: grinning from ear to ear, over the moon.
Mini Dialogue
Paul: I bought two similar lamps yesterday, but I can’t tell them apart!
Luc: Just put a small mark on one base, for heaven’s sake!
Paul: I did, but the mark had grown right back… wait, no, it was still there!
Luc: Well, your plan worked like a charm, it turns out one was slightly taller!