the stranger and the donkey

there once was a poor man whose only possession in life was an old donkey. one day while walking his donkey to a pond to get water, he was approached by a clever man wearing a velvet cloak with a silver cane. the stranger asked the old man if he cared to make a friendly wager. the old man being poor and simple, said that he had nothing to wager with. "well, you have a fine donkey right here!" said the stranger. "i'll wager these four silver coins against your donkey if you can solve my riddle." the old man thought about the food that four silver coins might buy, for he and his donkey were very hungry indeed."okay my friend," the old man said, "i will accept your wager." the stranger in the cloak grinned and began to draw a large circle in the sand with his silver cane. "now show me my good friend," he said handing the old man the cane, "where does the circle start, and where does it end?" the old man smiled because he knew the answer to the riddle. "if i answer your riddle, would you also give me your silver cane and warm cloak?" the stranger began to get nervous, but he knew there was no answer to his riddle. so he agreed. the old man pointed to the center of the circle with the cane, "well to begin with, every circle has an empty center do you agree?" the stranger was getting impatient. "yes yes, i suppose so, go on." the old man then beat the stranger to death with the cane. that night, the velvet cloaked old man traded the donkey for a pint of cold ale and ordered the 'four silver coin twins' at the village brothel.