The horse may laugh

[rogue]

Read this in a Peggy Noonan column and for some reason this little story appealed to me. To quote Peggy, "You think this way only when you have no other options".

An angry king is about to put a disloyal servant to death. "My lord," the servant says, "give me only one year of life and I will do something amazing and unheard of. I will make your horse rear back and laugh with happiness." The king says, "That's impossible, horses don't laugh." The servant answers, "I have the power to, in only one year, teach your horse to laugh at all your jokes. And when I succeed I will ask you, if your grace will, to spare me. And if I should fail I will peacefully lay down my life."

The king ponders and agrees. Later a friend asks the servant why he made such a stupid, impossible vow. The servant said, "Well, in a year the king may die, or I may die. Or the horse may laugh."

[Mr Punch]

:confused:

... a horse'll laugh only if it gets the joke!...;) :p

[yenhoi]

rogue:

Q: Ask me if Im a tree
- Are you a tree?
A: no.

[Cody]

If the horse understands and can laugh, it might recognize this unexpected position of power, laugh quietly all alone in the night unheard by a soul, or, laugh privately for the disloyal servant and then go absolutely mute for the king (thus indicating, in the context given, that the horse is a loyal servant of the king).

Cody

[Kristoffer]

"Well, in a year the king
may die, or I may die. Or the horse may laugh."


kinda funny response, but it isn't very clever, nor wise. I find it pretty stupid :D

[rogue]

Let me explain it to you guys, see the disloyal servant puts himself in an impossible situation so he.... never mind! :p


Here's a link to the whole article that may put it in more context.

Peggy Noonan Column (http://www.opinionjournal.com/columnists/pnoonan/?id=105001914)

[Kristoffer]

Good article. "It is easier to fight than to pray. In fact it's much easier to fight than to pray. It's one of the
reasons we do more of the former than the latter."

It makes u think..

[Kristoffer]

..but what was the point with the english story Rogue? :D

[rogue]

Bam, bam, bam (bangs head on desk):D

That was a really good article, how do you handle a situation with no good outcome?

[Sharky]

It was a good article. A really good article. I can't see a realistic end to the situation. I can see ways to end the situation, but they won't happen.

Although, i do not believe Bush is waiting for the horse to speak. He knows exactly what he is doing.

[joedoe]

A man at a circus has a sign up saying that he will give anyone $100 if they can make his donkey laugh.

This guy walks up to take the challenge. He stands next to the donkey and shortly the donkey bursts out laughing. The man hands over the $100 and asks "How did you do that?".

The guy replies "I told him that my d!ck was bigger than his".

The next day at the same circus, the man with the donkey has a new sign - $500 if you can make the donkey cry.

So the same guy walks up again to take the challenge. He walks up to the donkey, and shortly afterwards the donkey starts crying. The man hands over the $500 and asks "How did you do that?"

The guy replies "I showed him my d!ck"

:D

[Sharky]

joe is back :D

check ur pm bro

[Kristoffer]

lol @ Rogue :D
anyway, "how do you handle a situation with no good
outcome?"

-well,,, uh, I guess: "just hang in there" is good here. Or as some rasta guy said:

Jah (=God) never gives a man more burden than he can carry, be strong.

[red_fists]

Personally, I think Bush is waiting for he Horse to die.

There of course is the one Option not covered in that story.
His answer was:

"Well, in a year the king may die, or I may die. Or the horse may laugh."


What if the Horse dies before he can make it laugh??

Clever man think of all possibilites & plan for all outcomes.
Of course events could be gently nudged along as well.

Just a different perspective.

[Serpent]

Yeah right. That's the answer. Don't do anything, just pray.

:rolleyes:

[scotty1]

Of course - give up on all negotiations and get down on your knees. its the only solution...

What a load. :mad:

[Budokan]

Laughing @ ABandit.

I'll have to remember that one!:D

And as for Peggy Noonan and her ridiculous ideas regarding foreign policy...this crusty ol' liberal would like to see her on her knees, but not for prayer.

[rogue]

Was that a tin can full of rocks rattling or just the ranting of some crusty old liberal?:D

Budokan, we all know that conservative gals don't do that, only chubby Democrat interms.
You must of been in your glory watching Al Gore show why he should be on a college campus.

[dezhen2001]

wish i was in the US to understand a lot of these posts :( But then again politics bores me, so nvm :D

david

[Budokan]

HAW!
:D

[Mr Punch]

Originally posted by Budokan
Laughing @ ABandit.

When did ABandit post on this thread???!:D

[Mr Punch]

You gotta spare ABandit in your closet or something?!

[Sharky]

abandit is joedoe

dehzen - educate urself then mate.

[dezhen2001]

sharky> well, politics doesn't really interest me at all to be honest. i've got enuff to worry about right now (my own problems) without worrying about what i'm gonna vote :p

david