It happened once that Mullah Nasruddin and his wife were standing in the street, watching a funeral procession pass by. Beside them was a man with his small son, also watching the procession. Everyone in the funeral was very sad, and some were weeping and wailing.

The son asked his father, “Papa, why are they crying?”

“Son,” said the man, “that person has died, and now they have to take him to a place where it is cold and dark, where there is no food or water or any comfort at all.”

Nasruddin turned to his wife and said, “Quick, run home and lock the door. They are bringing the deceased to our house.”