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Hello and welcome to the English we speak. I'm Faye.

And hello, I'm Neil.

Sorry to mention it, Faye Faye. And hello I'm Neil. Sorry to mention it Faye Faye, but why is there a big

coffee stain on your top? Because I spilled coffee all over me.

Ah, that was a bit silly. And did I notice when you arrived that you were limping?

Yes, I was, and thereby hangs a tail. Where? Did you trip over a tail?

No, Neil. I mean, there's more to tell you.

When we say thereby hangs a tail,

we mean what I have told you involves a longer explanation,

or there's more to tell you. It's an expression taken from

as you like it by William Shakespeare. So let me explain why I have a coffee stang and

limp. If it involves me, then no.

It does.

Oh, shall we have some examples of thereby hangs a tail?

Why are you covered in mud?

Well, thereby hangs a tail.

I won that medal for bravery, and thereby hangs a tail.

What a journey!

All the main roads were closed,

so we had to drive cross country

...