confluence 42 points 21 hours ago A Polish farmer is ploughing his field when he hits an obstruction in the soil - a dirty old lamp.

confluence 42 points 21 hours ago A Polish farmer is ploughing his field when he hits an obstruction in the soil - a dirty old lamp. He picks it up and rubs it to clean it off, and a genie appears in a puff of smoke. Thank goodness you found my lamp I was getting bored, says the Genie. I will grant you any three wishes you desire. The farmer thinks and thinks and finally says: I want the Mongols to invade Poland... and then go home. The genie looks confused, but he shrugs, and snaps his fingers, and the Mongols invade. They rampage through the country, looting and pillaging... and then they go home. OK, says the genie, that was your first wish. What else do you want? I want the Mongols to invade Poland again... and then go home. The genie sighs. Fine, it's your wish, I guess. He snaps his fingers again, and the Mongols return. They set the farmhouse on fire, and steal the chickens, and then they go home. And what is your final wish? asks the genie. I want the Mongols to invade Poland again, and then go home, says the farmer without hesitation. So the Mongols invade once again, and steal everything that isn't nailed down. They steal the farmer's old wife, and his plough, and rough him up a bit, and then they leave. As they are both standing in the smoking, ransacked ruins of the farmhouse, the genie says: OK, I have to know. What the hell was that about? You could have wished for anything in the whole world, and you had the Mongols invade your own country three times, and totally destroy it. Why?! The farmer looks very pleased with himself. Well, you see, in order to invade us three times and go home, they had to go through Russia six times!