"Salt of the earth" joke
Once upon a time there lived a very powerful Nawab Sahib who loved vegetable gardens and courtiers. One day he had his throne placed in the midst of a patch of brinjals.' Allah be praisedl' he exclaimed.' What a beautiful vegetable is this brinjal! What exquisite shape! What smoothness of texture! What colouring!'
'Ala Hazrat' chorused the courtiers. "Indeed Allah has made the brinjal the most beautiful of all vegetables in the world.'
'But it does not taste very good,' remarked the Nawab Sahib.' And doctors say it has little food value.'
'Exactly so!' agreed the courtiers.' It is the foulest of foods. It is better to take poison than eat brinjal.'
'You are a strange lot,' said the Nawab Sahib irately.' When I praise the brinjal, you heap superlatives on it. When I say a word in criticism, you execrate it in equally strong language. What kind of people are you?'
The courtiers replied in courtly courtesy:' Ala Hazrat, we eat your salt, not that of the brinjal.'
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