"The Fable of the Girl Who Shifted the System" is about a girl called Ethel, who was very chatty but never could make a hit with the fellows. She talked too much about herself. At the parties she would talk herself blue in the face, but one by one the boys would get up and leave her. In despair she went to a wise married woman who told her she had the wrong system, that she should talk about the men. "The Fable of the Sarcastic Husband and the Lady Shopper" is about a "lady" who spent the entire day shopping at top speed, then brought home a small spool of thread.