The Brevity of Life

    The court jester was overcome with grief. His world was at an end!
    For a long time he had served the Caliph at Baghdad and his court, keeping them amused whenever they called upon him. But in a moment of thoughtlessness he had displeased his ruler who had ordered that he be put to death.
    "However," said the Caliph, "in consideration o the merry jests you've told me all these years, I will let you choose ho you are to die."
    "O most generous Caliph," replied the jester, "if it's all the same to you, I choose death by old age."

Source:
Unknown.