Dean Swift said that the man who makes two blades of grass grow
where one grew before serves well of his kind. Considering how
much grass there is in the world and comparatively how little
fun, we think that a still more deserving person is the man who
makes many laughs grow where none grew before.

Sometimes it happens that the biggest crop of laugh is produced
by a man who ranks among the greatest and wisest. Such a man was
Abraham Lincoln whose wholesome fun mixed with true philosophy
made thousands laugh and think at the same time. He was a firm
believer in the saying, "Laugh and the world laughs with you."

Whenever Abraham Lincoln wanted to make a strong point he usually
began by saying, "Now, that reminds me of a story." And when he
had told a story every one saw the point and was put into a good
humor.

The ancients had Aesop and his fables. The moderns had Abraham
Lincoln and his stories.

Aesop's Fables have been printed in book form in almost every
language and millions have read them with pleasure and profit.
Lincoln's stories were scattered in the recollections of
thousands of people in various parts of the country. The
historians who wrote histories of Lincoln's life remembered only
a few of them, but the most of Lincoln's stories and the best of
them remained unwritten. More than five years ago the author of
this book conceived the idea of collecting all the yarns and
stories, the droll sayings, and witty and humorous anecdotes of