Have you heard the one about the court jester and the talking horse?
One day a court jester told one joke too many for the King's liking and was sentenced to death by the end of the next day. The jester immediatley pleaded for his life.
"Your Majesty," he cajoled, "if you spare my life for a year, I'll make your favorite horse talk."
The king scratched his head and replied, "You'll make my favorite horse talk?"
"Your majesty, You will not be disappointed!"
The jester's wife later asked him, "How could you promise such an impossible thing to the King?"
"Well," the jester said, "it gained me a year's reprieve. In a year, the king could be dead. We could escape. Or, who knows? Maybe the horse will talk!"
Haha.
In my mind's ears I'm imagining Woody Allen telling this. But, the fact of true memory is, I don't remember where I heard it first -- only that it was several years ago. I also don't remember the exact details, just the final line. Does anyone know the origin or provenance?
Thanks to the internet, I've found two recent variations. I'm 99.9% sure that neither is the original version.
http://stpaulsfmc.com/christ-the-king-of-the-ragamuffins-ben-wayman/ (Posted November 20, [2011?]).
http://roberthartley.naiwe.com/2012/06/20/the-emperors-horse-yes-i-am-a-little-crazy-in-the-head/ (Posted June 20, 2012).
Today's Rune: Wholeness.
1 comment:
I think I have heard that tale before, but I don't remember where. Maybe in a church service some time. It's a thought provoking one.
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