In reply to:
In a fable, a judge rules a poor student must pay the wealthy merchant accusing him of theft with the sound of coins for the smell of cooking fish.
I am reminded of the story of Nasruddin and the soup. Nasruddin was given a duck by a visitor from the country, and he made soup with it. A few days later somebody came to Nasruddin's house and said "Have you got any of that soup? I'm a friend of the man who gave you the duck." Being a hospitable soul Nasruddin gave this new visitor some soup. A few days later another visitor appeared. "I'm a friend of the friend of the man who gave you the duck." Noblesse oblige and all that, so Nasruddin gave the visitor some soup. A few days later yet another visitor appeared. "I'm a friend of the friend of the friend of the man who gave you the soup." Well hospitality is one of the prime virtues in that part of the world, so Nasruddin sighed inwardly and ladled out some more soup. After a few more days had passed a friend of the friend of the friend of the friend of the man who gave Nasruddin turned up. Nasruddin said nothing but disappeared into the kitchen and then came back with a bowl of what looked and tasted like dishwater. "What's this?" his guest spluttered. "It's the soup from the soup from the soup from the soup from the soup from the duck the friend of the friend of the friend of the friend of your friend gave me."
Bingley
