The king once summoned Nasruddin to court. “Tell me,” said the king, “you are a mystic, a philosopher, a man of unconventional understandings. I have become interested in the issue of value. It’s an interesting philosophical question. How does one establish the true worth of a person, or an object? Take me for example. If I were to ask you to estimate my value, what would you say?” “Oh,” Nasruddin said, “I’d say about two hundred dinars.” The emperor was flabbergasted. “What?! But this belt I’m wearing is worth two hundred dinars!” “I know,” said Nasruddin. “Actually, I was taking the value of
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