Luck and Intelligence

Luck and Intelligence argue which is the better. Intelligence: "I can make a man famous." Luck: "I can make a lowly man rich."

Luck enters a poor man. King knocks on door, asks for water, man being unintelligent gives him water, tells him rudely to be on his way. King asks what he does, says farmer, not thief, thinking he was accused. King offers to make him his servant, man accepts if he gets same salary as vizier. King does. Vizier envious, tells man to pull king by leg from throne, man does, king furious, ceiling falls on throne, king grateful, heaps honours on him. Vizier tells man to knock king's turban off head and stomp on it. Man does, king furious, scorpion in turban. More rewards.

Intelligence enters man, Luck leaves. King asleep, bird poohs on his collar, man now intelligent knows king will be angry, takes dagger and tries to remove droppings, king wakes, thinks he's being attacked, calls guards, has man executed.

Luck to Intelligence: "Now do you admit that I'm superior?"

That reminds me of what my old gun-runner, smuggler, mercenary friend Captain Tony Tarracino says: "All you need to be a success in life is a tremendous ego and a strong sex drive. Brains don't mean sh1t."

The familiar Sweeter than Sugar is also in the book. King asks 7 daughters how they love him -- sweet as sugar, honey, molasses, brown sugar, sherbet, halva, salt. Salt daughter exiled, makes fortune, father visits her not knowing who she is, meal prepared without salt, proves she loves him most.