The Two Shops

Two shops sold bread on the same street.

One morning, a rumor spread that the eastern shop used spoiled flour. A few customers went to the western shop instead.

The western shop, busier now, sold out early. Customers saw the long line and assumed the bread must be better.

The next day, more came to the western shop. The eastern shop grew emptier. An empty shop must have a reason to be empty, people thought.

Within a month, the eastern shop closed. The flour had never been spoiled. It had only been said to be.