On his way to the swearing, he's approached by a villager who warns him that there are bears on the path and that he shouldn't go by himself. He invites Panahi for tea. The villager tells Panahi that he doesn't have to swear the truth, and that a lie is permissible if it brings peace to everyone. The villager explains that while town people like Panahi have a problem with authorities, villagers have a problem with superstition. They leave the house and as they separate at a fork in the road, the villager says that there are no bears; the stories are made up to scare people.
