Line a buttered saucepan with 2 tablespoons of chopped shallot.  Add one or two sprigs of parsley, a sprig of thyme and a quarter of a bay leaf.  Put in 2 quarts of mussels, trimmed, scraped and washed.  Add 2 tablespoons of butter cut into very small pieces.  Moisten with 1 cup of dry white wine.  Cook, covered, over a very high flame.  As soon as the mussels are fully open, drain them.  Remove one shell from each, and put them in a bowl.   Keep hot.  Take the parsley, thyme and bay leaf out of the saucepan.  Add 3 tablespoons of butter to the stock.  Mix well and pour over the mussels.  Sprinkle with chopped parsley.  Serve with lovely crunchy french bread, or the french way with a big bowl of chips.