The first time they hear it, it doesn’t seem like much to them. The word is strange, and the tone in which it was spoken can be offensive. The word quickly spreads through the village, and as it passes from mouth to mouth, it takes on greater weight and assumes its distinctly offensive character. With the village at odds, all the little everyday misunderstandings become serious misjudgments. There is only one solution: to lay out the cases and their origin—the misheard and mispronounced word—which, today in the village, is the most devastating insult one can hurl at one’s greatest enemy. Once tempers have been calmed by the judge’s wisdom, and the harmless meaning of the word has been clarified, the renewed friends gather immediately afterward. Relieved, they cannot resist continuing the banter of village life, even if it is contentious. They choose a new word from the dictionary to launch a fresh and irresistible misunderstanding.