A Lesson from Pastry

Once upon a three friends were on their way to take the civil service examination. On the way they saw a cake pastry kiosk by the wayside and stopped to buy some light refreshments. One of the friends was calm and quiet, while the other two were busy in arguing over literature.

The kiosk owner asked where they were going. The latter two told him that they were going to take the civil service examination. He said, "You two friends won't pass the exam but your other friend will." The two friends gazed at him and left.

When the results of the examination turned out as the kiosk man had predicted, the two friends who had failed went back to find out how he had known they would not pass, while the third friend would. They asked him if he knew physiognomy (face reading).

"No," he said, "all I know is that when a pastry is thoroughly cooked, it sits there quietly, but before it's finished it keeps on making noise."