Prepaid Bribe

adapated by Syamsul Maarif

One day i went to the Government Office. The workers at the office didn’t treat me right, looking at me not,  and don’t please me sit down. In spite of the lousy service, i gave them all fat tips when leaving.

The next time i went to the there, the workers provided me with excellent service. They gave me the newest seat, smile friendly offer to help me, and so on. However, this time I left them only small changes. One of the workers ventured to find out why.

`last time you gave us big tips…’ he hinted.

`Oh, yes. Those tips were for today’s service,’ i replied, `today’s tips are for my previous visit.’

(inspired by Nasrudin’s Story and the condition of Indonesia government services)

The Imposible Dream Come True

Adapted by Syamsul Maarif, SS

Every great achievement was  impossible until someone get a goal to make it a reality.     

Lewis Carroll in his Work give a motivation that we need  the impossible dream.

There is a conversation between Alice and the queen, which goes like this:     

"I can't believe that!" said Alice.     

"Can't you?" the queen said in a pitying tone.

"Try again, draw a long breath, and shut your eyes." Alice laughed.

"There's no use trying," she said.

"One can't believe impossible things."     

"I dare say you haven't had much practice," said the queen.

"When I was your age, I always did it for half an hour a day. Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast."     

When you dare to dream, many marvels can be accomplished. The trouble is, most people never start dreaming their impossible dream.

Prepaid Bribe

Adapted by Syamsul Maarif, SS

One day i went to the Government Office. The workers at the office didn’t treat me right, looking at me not,  and don’t please me sit down. In spite of the lousy service, i gave them all fat tips when leaving.

The next time i went to the there, the workers provided me with excellent service. They gave me the newest seat, smile friendly offer to help me, and so on. However, this time I left them only small changes. One of the workers ventured to find out why.

`last time you gave us big tips…’ he hinted.

`Oh, yes. Those tips were for today’s service,’ i replied, `today’s tips are for my previous visit.’

(inspired by Nasrudin’s Story and the condition of Indonesia government services)

The Lion and The cougar

A pointed fable is told about a young lion and a cougar. Both thirsty, the animals arrived at their usual water hole at the same time. They immediately began to argue about who should satisfy their thirst first. The argument became heated, and each decided he would rather die than give up the privilege of being first to quench his thirst. As they stubbornly confronted each other, their emotions turned to rage. Their cruel attacks on each other were suddenly interrupted. They both looked up. Circling overhead was a flock of vultures waiting for the loser to fall. Quietly, the two beasts turned and walked away. The thought of being devoured was all they needed to end their quarrel.

Who's Counting?

Napoleon was involved in conversation with a colonel of a Hungarian battalion who had been taken prisoner in Italy. The colonel mentioned he had fought in the army of Maria Theresa. "You must have a few years under your belt!" exclaimed Napoleon. "I'm sure I've lived sixty or seventy years," replied the colonel. "You mean to say," Napoleon continued, "you have not kept track of the years you have lived?"

The colonel promptly replied, "Sir, I always count my money, my shirts, and my horses - but as for my years, I know nobody who wants to steal them, and I shall surely never lose them."