ANECDOTE

A street sweeper was doing his job when he came across some money lying on the ground. He decided to use it to buy a surprise present for his little daughter. He bought a jar of honey, rushed home and left it on the table, so that his daughter would find it as soon as she came home from school. But, alas, it was the flies that ate the honey.

            The sweeper was so angry that he went to ask the judge to give orders for the flies to be arrested and condemned to death.

“You are absolutely right,” smiled they judge, “but as you will well understand, we cannot mobilize the army against these rascals. We shall see justice done in another way. Every time you see a fly, strike it down. I authorize you to execute them yourself. Furthermore, I demand personally that you do not allow even a single one of these thieving flies to escape.”

“Yes, your honor. You can count on me,” the sweeper assured him.

            At that very moment, a fly decided to settle on the judge’s head and the sweeper did not hesitate: he raised his brush and brought it crashing down on the judge’s head. The guards were about to arrest him, when the judge recovered and intervened. “Leave him be,” he ordered, “he has taught me not to say foolish things to simpletons.”