A headstrong grandee had obtained from the Sultan the 
rights of share-cropping on the land occupied by Nasrudin.
When the Court clerk asked him what crop he wanted to 
share, he merely said: “Just put in ‘whatever is above
the ground’.”
   He presented himself at the Mulla’s house with the order 
duly sealed. But that year Nasrudin had planted turnips, and 
the above-ground share did amount to much.
   The following year the townsman arrived for his share, 
having specified on his order the ‘whole crop below ground’.
This year, however, the Mulla was growing wheat.