A clergyman was walking down the street when he came upon a group of
about a dozen boys, all of them between 10 and 12 years of age.

The group surrounded a dog. Concerned lest the boys were hurting the
dog, he went over and asked "What are you doing with that dog?"

One of the boys replied, "This dog is just an old neighborhood
stray. We all want him, but only one of us can take him home. So
we've decided that whichever one of us can tell the biggest lie will
get to keep the dog."

Of course, the reverend was taken aback. "You boys shouldn't be
having a contest telling lies!" he exclaimed. He then launched into
a ten minute sermon against lying, beginning, "Don't you boys know
it's a sin to lie," and ending with, "Why, when I was your age, I
never told a lie."

There was dead silence for about a minute. Just as the reverend was
beginning to think he'd gotten through to them, the smallest boy
gave a deep sigh and said, "All right, give him the dog."