two farmers and two horses

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There once was a farmer who had two horses, but for the life of himPOUR TOUTE SA VIE / QUOI QU'IL FASSE he could never tell them apartLES DISTINGUER / LES RECONNAÎTRE L'UN DE L'AUTRE.

Finally, he decided to go over to his neighbour’s placeLA MAISON DE SON VOISIN to ask for some advice.

The neighbour, Alfred, replied: "Good griefMON DIEU / BON SANG, Marcel! Just cut the maneLA CRINIÈRE off one of them horses, for heaven's sakeNOM D'UN CHIEN / SAPRISTI!"

So, the farmer went home and cut the mane off one of the horses. But two weeks later, the hair had grown right backREPoussÉ COMPLÈTEMENT.

Marcel headed backRETOURNA to his neighbour’s house, frustrated. Alfred looked at him and barkedABOYA / S'ÉCRIA: "Listen here, Marcel! Just measure their necks, darn itSAPRISTI / ZUT ALORS! Then you’ll see which one is longer!"

The farmer went home and spent the afternoon measuring their necks to see which one was longer. That same evening, Marcel ran back to his neighbour’s house, beaming with joyRAYONNANT DE JOIE.

"Hey, Alfred! Your trick worked like a charmA MARCHÉ À MERVEILLE! It turns outIL S'AVÈRE QUE / RÉSULTAT the black horse has a longer neck than the white horse!"

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Vocabulary

Tell apart: to distinguish between two similar things or people.

Beaming with joy: smiling broadly because of great happiness.

He could never tell them apartLES DISTINGUER.

Marcel ran back, beaming with joyRAYONNANT DE JOIE.

Grammar

The joke uses past simple for the main narrative sequence and past perfect for actions completed before another past event.

Past simple: The farmer went home and cut the mane off one of the horses.

Past perfect: The hair had grown right back.

Reported / indirect speech: Alfred replied that he should just cut the mane off one of them.

Synonyms & Alternatives

Tell apart: distinguish, differentiate.

Beaming with joy: grinning from ear to ear, over the moon.

Mini Dialogue

Paul: I bought two similar lamps yesterday, but I can’t tell them apartLES DISTINGUER!

Luc: Just put a small mark on one base, for heaven's sakeSAPRISTI!

Paul: I did, but the mark had grown right backÉTAIT REPoussÉ… wait, no, it was still there!

Luc: Well, your plan worked like a charmA MARCHÉ À MERVEILLE, it turns outIL S'AVÈRE QUE one was slightly taller!

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