tale 
(tāl)
(tāl)n.
1. A recital of events or happenings; a report or revelation: told us a long tale of woe.
2. A malicious story, piece of gossip, or petty complaint.
3. A deliberate lie; a falsehood.
4. A narrative of real or imaginary events; a story.
5. Archaic A tally or reckoning; a total.
[Middle English, from Old English talu; see del-2 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]