Steve
·
17h
Three men were sentenced to the guillotine: a priest, a lawyer, and a physicist. The priest was first. Asked if he had any last words, he calmly replied:
“Only God can save me now.”
The executioner released the blade. It dropped—and stopped just inches above his neck.
The crowd gasped. “It’s a miracle!” and the priest was set free.
Next came the lawyer. Asked for his last words, he said:
“I’m not a religious man, but I believe in justice—and justice will save me.”
The blade was released. Once again, it dropped and stopped just inches above his neck. Everyone agreed that justice had prevailed, and the lawyer was released.
Finally, they brought out the physicist. He looked up at the guillotine, studied it for a moment, and said:
“You know, I think I see the problem. There’s a knot in that rope that’s keeping the blade from falling all the way.”
The executioner examined the mechanism, and sure enough, the physicist was right. They removed the knot, and the guillotine worked perfectly.
Moral: Intelligence isn't just knowing the answer. Sometimes it's knowing when to keep your mouth shut. 😄