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Far astray, much too far from the holy road to Mecca, lost in the great desert, one tired Nasrudin and one companion of misfortune pulled their legs through the fine hot sand that flew on and on round their boots like an hourglass forever returned. Yes, the day was near to end but not the journey. And lo! Luck smiled upon them suddenly. Out of nowhere, between two yellow dunes they found an oasis. It was too small and too lucky to have ever had a name so that it thrived in harmony, just five rich palm trees on a bed of green grass and fat flowers around an incredible little fresh pond sipping peacefully from a murmuring, cold crystal source. After first quenching their thirst –for the thirsty plain water is so sweet - and quickly thanking Allah, the travellers pulled off their boots to refresh their weary feet in the pond. In the middle of this happiness, an evening roaring sounded like a drum of war and a huge lion showed his majesty on top of a dune. At this, without delay, Hoca pulled back his boots ready to run for his life. “Fool, cried the other traveller, do you think that with your boots on you will run faster than the lion?” “No, I will only run faster than you fool, and that will be good enough for me!”

(c) Copyright 1998-2004 Ioan Tenner