tale

noun

• An account of an asserted fact or circumstance; a rumour; a report, especially an idle or malicious story; a piece of gossip or slander; a lie.

  "Don't tell tales!"

• A rehearsal of what has occurred; narrative; discourse; statement; history; story.

  "the Canterbury Tales"

• A number told or counted off; a reckoning by count; an enumeration.
• The fraudulent opportunity presented by a confidence man to the mark or victim.
• Number; tally; quota.
• Account; estimation; regard; heed.
• Speech; language.
• A speech; a statement; talk; conversation; discourse.
• A count; declaration.
• A number of things considered as an aggregate; sum.
• A report of any matter; a relation; a version.