There was a town in a valley, and on the mountainside above it there was a monastery. And every day, at exactly six o'clock in the evening, the big bell in the tower of the monastery would ring out, and echo all over the valley.

The six o'clock bell was the signal for people to stop work, and start eating their evening meal, and getting ready to go out for the evening, if they were going out, or sitting around and passing the time at home if they were staying home.

Anyway, the evening bell seemed to be a settled part of keeping the place tranquil and easy going. At least that was how it felt to a man from a foreign country who came there for a visit.

So the visiotor went up to the castle, and he asked the monk whose job it was to ring the bell "Why does the big bell ring at exactly six o'clock", and the monk whose job it was to ring the bell said that was so that the people in the town would know it was time to have their evening meal, and the monks would know it was time for the evening prayer - and so that everyone would know that things were all right,and the monastery was looking after things.

And he said "And how do you know when it is exactly six o'clock?" and the monk said, "That's not so hard - down in the town there is a small clockmaker's shop on the edge of the town, and in the window there is a fine clock, and it always keeps perfect time. And do you see this spyglass that hangs by the bellrope? If I look through it I can see that clock in the window, and when it says six o'clock, I ring the bell."

So next day the visitor went round to the clockmaker,just before six o'clock, and he saw the clock in the window, and sure enough, as the clock struck six, the bell from the monastery rang out.

So the visitor went into the shop and the clockmaker was there, winding up his clocks. "How do you manage to keep your clocks telling perfect time" said the visitor.

"Oh that's not so hard" said the clockmaker. "You must be a stranger in town. You see, every day at exactly six o'clock the big bell in the monastery rings out. So I can check that the clocks aren't going fast or slow."

I see" said the visitor. But he didn't really.