One of your most ancient writers, a historian named Herodotus, tells
of a thief who was to be executed. As he was taken away he made a
bargain with the king: in one year he would teach the king's favorite
horse to sing hymns. The other prisoners watched the thief singing
to the horse and laughed. "You will not succeed," they told him.
"No one can." To which the thief replied, "I have a year, and who
knows what might happen in that time. The king might die. The
horse might die. I might die. And perhaps the horse will learn to
sing.
-- The Mote in God's Eye
of a thief who was to be executed. As he was taken away he made a
bargain with the king: in one year he would teach the king's favorite
horse to sing hymns. The other prisoners watched the thief singing
to the horse and laughed. "You will not succeed," they told him.
"No one can." To which the thief replied, "I have a year, and who
knows what might happen in that time. The king might die. The
horse might die. I might die. And perhaps the horse will learn to
sing.
-- The Mote in God's Eye
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