A "classic" tongue-in-cheek reference to hypothetical generosity is related in the humorous short story "Downeast Socialism", by
Maine humorist Marshall Dodge:
Ethan Robay was tellin' Enoch Turner 'bout the lectshuh he'
d heard Norman Thomas give about Socialism. "It's all 'bout SHARIN', Enoch --- with socialism, a fella SHAYUHS ever'thin' with his neighbuh."
"Does dat mean,
Ethan, dat if you had two fahms, you'd give me one of dem?" Enoch asked.
"Ayuh --- if I had two fahms, Enoch, I'd give you one of them,"
Ethan replied.
"And does dat also mean, if you had two hay-rakes, you'd give me one of dem, too?" Enoch puhsisted.
"Yuh --- if I had two hay-rakes, I'd give you one of them,"
Ethan confirmed.
Enoch cocked his nose a might and flashed Ethan a crafty smirk. "And if you had two **hogs**,
Ethan --- would you give me one of DEM??"
"DANG you, Enoch --- you KNOW that I **got** two HOGS!"
