Mullah Nasrudin Returns To Iran

     Recently, it is reported, Mullah Nasrudin had seemed excited, but had said very slowly to his wife, “Finally I’ve made it home safely and I am alive… and now I have a thirst…”
     The Mullah’s wife, endeavoring to please him, interrupted him quickly. “Um, uh, oh yes: I am your soda, rose petals and mint. Add your yogurt to my virgin milk and I will do the dance of the veils.”
     “No, not that. I was going to say that I now have a great ‘thirst for life’ because I nearly died today.”
     “Again?” she muttered, but realizing she was speaking out loud, quickly said, “Oh dear. Tell me of today’s saga.”
     “I was riding my donkey towards the edge of a cliff, but I didn’t know there were any cliffs anywhere, and would have blissfully ridden to my death, had it not been for my hero who I’m recommending to be promoted to Grand Ayatollah.”
     “What qualifications does he have?”
     “Well, he speaks with a sticky tongue and catches insects.”
     The Mullah’s wife was puzzled. She presented a gentle interrogation: “I don’t understand — you had better explain how he saved your life.”
     “As I was riding towards my doom, a frog suddenly croaked loudly and startled the donkey. It rose up on its hind legs and threw me to the ground. Thus we avoided the cliff. As a good deed was done, I must reward the frog.”
     “Wait. What? You are going to ask that a frog be made a Grand Ayatollah?”
     “Yes, of course. Are there not many insects that buzz around the people?”
     “But…”
     “…and should not a noble tongue be sticky enough to remove the venomous words from the swamps of evil…”
     “But we don’t have any swamps nearby.”
     “And I don’t suppose you believe there are any cliffs to be avoided?”
     “Well, dear, I’m afraid I don’t understand, but if you must, write your letter as you always do and I will pray.”
     “Don’t worry. I’ll be careful. But now, with all this talk I am dry but I must say I have a thirst…”
     “Yes, I know dear, you have a ‘thirst for life’ . “
     “No not that.”