The ruler of an ancient kingdom wanted to disprove the statement that the men of his domain were ruled by their wives. He had all the males in his kingdom brought before him and warned that any man who did not tell the truth would be punished severely（严格地，严厉地）.

Then he asked all the men who obeyed their wives' directions and counsel（劝告，建议） to step to the left side of the hall. All the men did so but one little man who moved to the right.

It's good to see, said the king, that we have one real man in the kingdom. Tell these chickenhearted（胆小的） dunces（傻瓜） why you alone among them stand on the right side of the hall.

Your majesty, came the reply in a squealing voice, it is because before I left home my wife told me to keep out of crowds.