The Bell Ringer

A temple bell was rung each dawn.

One morning, the bell ringer wasn't sure if he'd rung it — he'd been half asleep.

So he rang it again.

The villagers, hearing two rings, thought it was an alarm. They gathered in the square, armed and frightened.

A wise bell ringer later made a practice: he left a stone on a ledge after ringing. If the stone was moved, the bell had been rung. He checked the stone before ringing again.