Years ago, for his university thesis, Jack had written what was considered to be the first Old Icelandic-English dictionary.
He sent it to a publisher. The publisher scribbled at the bottom of Jack’s letter, “Who on earth would ever want to buy this?”
Next winter, Jack sat in front of the hearth. Page by page he tossed his dictionary into the fire.
“Don’t do that!” someone said.
“No one would ever buy it,” said Jack. “And I know all the words in it.”