Farmer Larson had just finished cutting up hog meat when he gave his wife two hams and said, "Cora take these two hams and put them up for hard times." Cora took the hams and put them in the freezer.
One week later while Cora was sitting on the porch, an old broken-down truck pulled up and a man with an unfamiliar face got out.
The man said, "Hello there Cora, how's it going."
Cora replied, "Do I know you?"
The man said, "You should, I'm known by about everyone around here. They call me Hard Times."
Cora jumped up and said, hold on a minute I got a package for you. She ran in the kitchen grabbed the two hams and gave them to the man. The man said well thank you Mrs. Cora that's rather nice of you, then left.
A couple of days later Larson asked Cora about cooking one of those hams he gave her to put up for hard times.
Cora said, "Hard Times done came and got the hams already and it wouldn't be right to ask for one back!
