For a gimmick intended to draw customers, the local Innkeeper put up a sign:
“500 gold pieces to anyone who can make my horse laugh. But if ye cannot, ye owe ME 500 gold pieces.”
After a couple young fools tried and lost, the legend grew, but few were interested in actually taking the wager. Business boomed as travellers flocked to the inn with hopes of seeing some poor fool attempt the impossible.
One day, a short, decrepit old man wandered into the tavern and said he’d like to attempt the challenge.
The innkeeper chuckled, knowing that horses don’t actually laugh, and told the old man to have at it. “But, just so you know,” said the innkeeper, “if he doesn’t laugh, you owe ME 500 gold pieces.”
The man happily agreed, and the innkeeper and other patrons followed the old-timer outside. The old man moved slowly up to the side of the horse and whispered something in its ear that none but he and the horse could hear.
The horse immediately started laughing so hard that it shook the building. The patrons and innkeeper stared in disbelief, but the innkeeper knew he was bested. He paid the man and retired the challenge.
Before the tale could spread too far, the Innkeeper introduced a new challenge, this time certain it was impossible for him to lose. Emboldened by his certainty, the innkeeper upped the stakes: “1000 gold pieces to anyone who can make my horse cry. But if ye cannot, ye owe ME 1000 gold pieces.”
This time however, barely a week passed, and the old man returned. “I’m here about the challenge.”, He said. Cautious but eager to embarrass the old man who had bested his previous challenge (and taken his coin), the innkeeper agreed to let the man attempt his challenge.
The old man walked out to the horse, innkeeper and patrons following closely behind.
Standing directly in front of the horse the old man promptly dropped his trousers.
And the horse burst into tears.
“What the hell is going on?!!”, shouted the irate innkeeper to the back of the old man, furious at both having been bested again, and the old man’s exposing of himself.
“Simple”, said the old man, turning his neck to look back at the crowd.
“Last week, I told yer horse my cock was bigger than his.
And now, I’ve shown him!”