Once there was an old man who was very proud of 1 things. One was his long white beard (胡子) The other was his ability to fall asleep the moment his head 2 the pillow(枕头).

    One day, his 3-year-old grandson asked him 3 he did with his beard when he slept : did it go under the quilt(被子)or above the quilt?

    The old man had never paid attention to this 4 and he didn't remember whether hisbeard remained above or went under the quilt. So he promised to 5the answer. It was very cold that night. The old man got into bed early and pulled the quilt over6Then he suddenly remembered his grandson's7.

    He knew that his beard was under the quilt. He 8it from under the quilt, and placedit above the quilt. This made him fell that something was not quite 9.So he put the beard under the quilt again. But he soon felt it would be 10if it was out. In and out went the beard; first under the quilt, then above it, then under once again. The old man had a sleepless night.

    The next morning the first thing he did was cut his beard. It wouldn't trouble him forever.