In the Village of Liver-and-Onions, if one boy goes to the store for a jug of molasses, it's just like always. And if two boys go to the store for a jug of molasses together, it's just like always. But if three boys go to the store for a jug of molasses each and all together, then it's not like always at all.

Eeta Peeca Pie grew up with lots of wishes inside him. For every wish inside, he had a freckle outside on his face. Whenever he smiled, the smile went way back into the far side of his face and got lost in the wishing freckles.

Meeny Miney grew up with lots of suspicions inside him. After a while, some of the suspicions stuck to his eyes and some to his mouth. So when he looked at other people straight in the face, they used to say, “Meeny Miney looks so sad-like, I wonder if he’ll get by.”

Miney Mo was different. He wasn’t sad-like and suspicious like Meeny Miney, nor was he full of wishes inside and freckles outside like Eeta Peeca Pie. He was all mixed up inside with wishes and suspicions. So he had a few freckles and a few suspicions on his face. When he looked at other people straight in the face, they used to say, “I don’t know whether to laugh or cry.”