A clergyman was walking down the street when he came upon a group of a few
boys about 10 years of age, surrounding a dog. Concerned that the boys were
hurting the animal, he went over and asked them what they were doing. One of the
boys replied, "This dog is an old neighborhood stray. We take him home with us
sometimes, but only one of us can take him home. So we're having a contest:
whichever one of us tells the biggest lie can take him home today."
Of course, the Reverend was shocked. "You boys shouldn't be having a contest
telling lies!" he exclaimed. He then launched into a 10-minute sermon against
lying, beginning, "Don't you boys know it's a sin to lie?" and ending with,
"Why, when I was your age, I never told a lie."
There was complete silence for about a minute. As the Reverend smiled with
satisfaction that he'd gotten through to them, the smallest boy gave a deep
sigh. "All right," he said, "give him the dog."