Behlool liked to visit the graveyards. "People here are good friends," he used to say "They do not backbite". Once, he sat in a corner of a graveyard and with a long stick. He started probing at some of the old skulls which lay scattered about. Harun Rashid, the king, passed by and saw him and asked, "O Behlool! What are you doing?"

"Oh, nothing very important", said Behlool. "I am just trying to find out whether the skulls belong to kings or paupers. They are all the same." "And what is the stick for?" Harun asked.

"Well, I'm measuring the earth", Behlool replied.

"Measuring the earth? What are your findings?" Harun joked.

"It is equal and the same, O King", Behlool retorted. "Three armlengths for me, in spite of my poverty and three armlengths for you, in spite of your pomp and wealth."