In England, the story is told, a lady opened her front door in a driving rainstorm. A rain soaked lady stood there and said, "Pardon, the wind and rain have completely done me in and I forgot to take an umbrella. I was wondering if I might borrow one - I'll return it of course tomorrow."

"Now who is this stranger that stands and asks of me?" the lady of the house thought. "How do I know she'd bring it back?" The The lady had an older umbrella behind the door with broken spines. "Even if the visitor doesn't return it," she said to herself, "I wouldn't have lost much." So she handed it to the stranger. The next day a fine carriage approached the house and stopped in front of her house. A footman came up to the door and politely knocked. "Pardon madam. The QUEEN wishes to express her thanks for your kindness of yesterday," he said as he handed her the "borrowed umbrella."

"Oh," she thought. "Here was the Queen, and I gave her less than the best I had."