The train was rather full. At the last station before the frontier, a small man with a fat stomach got in, carrying a big paper package. It was carefully packed, but the feet of two ducks could be seen outside the paper. The man found an empty seat, put the package in the middle of the floor, took out a newspaper and began to read it.
The other passengers knew that people were not allowed to take food across the frontier, so they were very surprised that the little man was foolish enough to leave the duck's legs where they could be seen so easily.
When the train reached the frontier, a policeman came in to look at the passengers' passport and to examine their luggage. Of course, he saw the package with the ducks' legs at once and said, 'Whose is that package?'
Nobody answered.
The policeman repeated the question, and added, 'I shall have to take it away from the owner. Nobody's allowed to take food out of the country.'
'Well, then,' said the small man with the fat stomach, 'hurry up and take it. We want to get home.' The policeman took the package and went on to the next carriage.
At the next station, when they were safely across the frontier, the small man got up, smiled at the other passengers and said, 'I hope that they'll enjoy the ducks' feet. The rest of the package had nothing but rubbish in it.'
Then he opened his coat and pointed to another paper package which he was carrying under it. It was not really fat. 'I have the rest of the two ducks in this package,' he said.