#!/usr/bin/perl -w

print <<__PRE;
There once was a monastery high on a mountain.
The monks of this monastery had all taken a
vow of silence years ago. In silent toil and
study, the years slowly passed. Despite their
penitent dedication, many of the monks began
to grow restless.

Eventually it was decided that one time a year, a
single monk could say a single sentence at supper,
before Compline. The lucky monk would be chosen by
randomly drawing lengths of straw from the barn.

One crisp evening, the first monk was chosen
before their evening repast.

__PRE

$interval = 60*60*24*364.24225;

chomp && push(@brethren, split) while <DATA>;

$first_monk = chosen();
print <<__FIRST;
Brother $first_monk was the first monk to be
selected. With an tremulous grimace he looked 
up from his plate and exclaimed "Carrots again! 
As much as we depend on our fine work in the 
garden, I think that we need something more 
than just carrots from time to time!"

A year passed...

__FIRST

sleep($interval);

$second_monk = chosen();
print <<__SECOND;
This time Brother $second_monk drew the short
straw. Later that night after yet another meal
of carrots, he looked up from the table and said
"Actually, $first_monk, I happen to like
carrots. As far as I'm concerned we should have
even more carrots -- perhaps we should get rid
of the potatoes so that we have more room to
grow carrots."

Another year passed...

__SECOND

sleep($interval);

$third_monk = chosen();
print <<__THIRD;
Finally, Brother $third_monk was selected. After
supper he clanged his plate down onto the scarred
wooden table, glared at his brethren and shouted
"$first_monk and $second_monk, I'm sick and tired
of all this bickering and arguing!"

__THIRD

sub chosen { splice(@brethren, rand @brethren, 1) }

__DATA__
Adranus Adrianus Ambrosius Amatus Amisius Antonius
Antoynel Augustinus Benedictus Blasius Bonifacius 
Clymenon Constantinus Crescentius Crispianus 
Dominicus Donatus Durandus Fabianus Firminus 
Florencius Aegidius Giregilo Gylmyne Julianus 
Laurentius Lucianus Martinus Mauricius Paganus 
Patricius Peregrinus Quintinus Valentinus
Valerianus Vivianus

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In reply to Monastic Hullabaloo by mojotoad

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