Karl Ludwig was a professor of anatomy. One day he was removing the brain of a frog for his medical students. He wanted to show them that if only a little piece were left behind, the reflexes of the frog’s body would work, because they did not depend on the brain.

No sooner had the professor removed the frog’s brain, than it took one big long leap and plopped right into the face ofone of the medical students seated in the first row of the class.

The rest of the students screamed with delight. When finally quieted down, the professor remarked in his dry way, “You now see, ladies and gentlemen, how little brain is needed to make a whole class laugh.”

- Walther Birkmayer

Mark Twain was a famous American humorist of the last century. Many people know that his real name was Samuel langhorne Clemens, but few people know why he never used it.

Mark Twain, in nautical language, means: two fathoms deep. It was the pen name of a Mississippi river boat captain, whose real name was Isaiah Sellers.

Once day Captain Sellers published a very flowery article under his pen name in a New Orleans newspaper. Samuel Clemens, in a joking frame of mind, imitated the article word for word and published his version in a rival New Orleans paper

The unforeseen result was that it killed the captain’s literary future. In order to make up for it, Samuel Clemens blossomed out into his own famous writing career, all the while using the name of Mark Twain. And to this day no one seems to have known which of the two men was actually producing the humorous masterpieces.

That was Mark Twain’s way of compensating Captain Isaiah Sellers, who was the original Mark Twain

- Herman Schreiber

On the tuesday of the week, some visitors who had walked a long distance, came to have a talk with spritual leader of the monastery. Whe he saw how hungry they were, he prepared a modest meal for them. Some younger members saw him in the kitchen cooking, and they were scandalized. They complained to the rector of the monastery and said, “Father Director has broken the rule of the community; he’s cooking food. You better have a talk with him.”

But the rector smiled at them and answered, “Dear friends, Father Director did, indeed, break the commandment that was made by our community. But showing hospitality to strangers, he has firmly kept the commandment of God.”

- William R. White

- Brian Cavanaugh

the merchant fell to his knees and begged the king to allow him to complete his business before he was killed. “Your majesty, all my money is invested with other merchants, and we have no written documents,” he pleaded. “If I die without clearing my financial affairs, my wife and children will be destitute. Permit me to gohome and set my business in oder and I will return.”

“Do you take me for a fool?” the king demanded. “Who has ever heard of a prisoner returning wothout force?”

“Your Majety,” the man replied, “I have a friend in your country who will be security for me.”

The King ordered the friend to his court and asked, “Will you be security for your companion? Understand that if he does not returned, you will die!”

“I count it an honor to offer my life as security for my closest friend,” the man said. The King wa astonished and allowed the merchant one month to finish his business. “If you do not return in 30 days, we will cut off the head of your companion.”

On the last day of the month, the king waited intil dusk for the merchant to return. Just before the sun was about to set, the king orderes the executioner to remove the head of the prisoner. As the man knelt before the great wooden block, there was a shout from those assembled, “The merchant is coming!”

As the man arrived, he saw that his friend was about to be slain. Quicly, he moved to the execution block and pushed his friend aside gently, “I am ready to assume my punishment,” he said, kneeling.

The other man was not easily convinced, “I am ready to die in your place,” he said firmly. The two men argued for several minutes, each declaring his intention to be the one who would be executed. Meanwhile, the king and his count watched the discussion with amazement.

Finally, the king ordered the sword to be removed, saying, “I have never witnessed such a devotion in all my life. Both of you are pardoned.”

Next the king called the two men before him. “Deep friendship is rare jewel,” he said simply. “I beg of you, allow me to join you as a third.”

From that day on, the two men became companions of the king.

-after Elie Wiesel

“No,” said the youth. “I have been warned about you rattlesnakes. If I pick you up, you will bite me, and your bite will kill me.”

“No way!” said the snakes. “I will treat you differently. If you do me this favor, you will be special. I will not harm you.”

The youth resisted for a while, but that wa a very persuasive snake with a beautiful markings. So he picked up the snake and tucked it under his shirt. When they were back down in the valley, he took the snake out of his shirt and gently laid it on the grass. Then suddenly it coiled, rattled and sprang, biting the boy on the leg. “But you promised,” he cried.

“You knew what I was when you picked me up,”u answered the snake as he slithered away.

Today, Red Indians tell that story to their youth who are tempted to take drugs. They repeat to them the rattlesnake’s own words: “You knew what I was when you picked me up.”

- Iron Eyes Cody