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Path: utzoo!watmath!watdcsu!mathnews
From: mathnews@watdcsu.UUCP (mathNEWS)
Newsgroups: net.jokes
Subject: Father Goose tale, or whatever you call it
Message-ID: <1275@watdcsu.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 20-Apr-85 03:36:15 EST
Article-I.D.: watdcsu.1275
Posted: Sat Apr 20 03:36:15 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 20-Apr-85 08:42:22 EST
Reply-To: mathnews@watdcsu.UUCP (mathNEWS)
Organization: U of Waterloo, Ontario
Lines: 71

Hans and Gretchen were walking along the shore one Sunday afternoon when
they spotted a dock projecting into the harbour.  They decide to walk
to the end of the dock and sit down to rest (chat, have a smoke or
whatever).  

Gretchen, in her infinite boredom, suggests to Hans, ``While we walk
to the end of the dock, why don't you count the number of slats used
to build it, and I'll count the number of slits between the slats?''

Hans replies, ``Ja, sehr gut, I will count the slats, and you will
count the slits.''

So the couple merrily troops down the dock.  Hans counts, ``One
slat!''

Gretchen counts, ``One slit!''  

``Two slats!''

``Two slits!''

And, well, you know how the natural numbers work.  Eventually Hans and
Gretchen approach the end of the dock.

``327 slats!''

``327 slits!''

``328 slats!''

They reach the end of the dock.  Gretchen is puzzled.

``Hans!  There are no more slits!  What does it mean?''

Hans turns to Gretchen and says (brace yourselves),
























``When you're out of slits, you're out of pier!''

                                                   regards,
 							dwarf (W. Jim Jordan)
-- 
"Damn the integrals, full speed ahead!"

mathNEWS--the math student newspaper at the University of Waterloo

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