never ending story

as a small boy circa 1939 i was told this story by my father at christmas time in the dark by a blazing fire
"it was a dark and stormy night
and three men sat on a dead mans chest
up spake the leader, "jake tell us a story"
and the story began
it was a dark and stormy night.................................etc"
i know the possible sources of the first two lines but has anyone heard this tale
before?