LIMIT in MySQL

[Anon]

I already get it use LOCATE:
SELECT * FROM table1,table2 WHERE LOCATE(f1,ff1)

It's work ok,get a match is:
(=any char)
f1: ff1:
one one
one aone
one bone
one cone
one done
...
one one
two xtwox
two 1two
two atwo
two ccctwo
...
two two
three 1three
three 2three
three 3three
three athree
...
three three

If only want get the first sometime match(example 3 times):
(*=any char)
f1: ff1:
one one
one aone
one bone
two xtwox
two 1two
two atwo
three 1three
three 2three
three 3three

How to do it?

[sarahk]

I'd bring them all back and then work the array to skip after the third instance of a particular key.

[Anon]

But I think this way is slow...

[Anon]

try using :

select distinct f1 ff1 FROM table1,table2 WHERE LOCATE(f1,ff1) ....

Cheers
Justin