Emily Dickinson Lexicon

TALE, n. [See Tell.]

1. A story; a narrative; the rehearsal of a series of events or adventures, commonly some trifling incidents; or a fictitious narrative; as, the tale of a tub; Marmontel's tales; idle tales. Luke xxiv. We spend our years as a tale that is told. Ps. xc.
2. Oral relation. Shak.
3. Reckoning; account set down. Exod. v. In packing, they keep a just tale of the number. Carew.
4. Number reckoned. The ignorant who measure by tale, not by weight. Hooker.
5. A telling; information; disclosure of any thing secret. Birds are aptest by their voice to tell tales what they find. Bacon. In thee are men that carry tales to shed blood. Ezek. xxii.
6. In law, a count or declaration. [Tale, in this sense, is obsolete.]
7. In commerce, a weight for gold and silver in China and other parts of the East Indies; also, a money of account. In China, each tale is 10 maces = 100 candareens = 1000 cash. Cyc.