DESSERT OASIS

TWO soldiers are marching through the desert when they run out of water. They decide to press on in the direction of the nearest watering hole, even though they have little prospect of making it.

As they are on their last reserves of energy, crawling along in the hot sand, one of them spots a tent on the horizon. A rush of adrenalin spurs them on and as they draw nearer, they see that this is a huge Bedouin dome tent.

Approaching the entrance, they observe that this tent is filled with dozens of market stalls, and they make for the nearest of these as fast as they are able.

In a croaky voice, one of the soldiers asks the stall-holder if he has any water, as they are dying of thirst. To their surprise, the stall-holder responds in perfect English and informs them he has no water; he only has some sponge cake, which he can serve up with a little custard and and some jelly.

The two soldiers look at each other in disbelief and move on to the next stall, where they ask for water. To their amazement, they receive exactly the same reply.

The story is the same at every table. The two soldiers cannot believe their bad fortune and make for the exit.

As they are leaving the tent, one turns to the other and says: “Wasn’t that strange?”

His colleague replies: “Yes, it was a trifle bazaar!”

D Hyde-rayted, email