It came to me one day as I was traveling down the road that all dead bugs I’ve seen which are not squished are lying on their backs.  And there seem to be so many bugs in the world.

I needed to know more so I asked my Teacher.

“Teacher”, I asked, “Why are there so many bugs in the world, and why do they lie on their backs to die?”

“Ah,” said my Teacher, who was plentiful in the ways of Wisdom in the World, and who knew much about everything, “for this I shall tell a Story”.

“There was a Man,” started my Teacher, who often started stories in this manner, “who was not just any man, he was a Holy Man.  He was a Dalai Lama.

And He liked Joy and Happiness in the World, and encouraged everyone to Laugh and Smile at happy Jokes told all around.

So this Man called to Order a Sect, one that would embody the virtues to which he held so dear.

This would be a Special Sect, one that spread Joy and Happiness to others in the Telling of Funny Anecdotes and Humorous Tales.  Therefore, to be considered for inclusion in the Sect, one needed to be Very Clever Indeed with Words.

This man invited All to Join and Be Questioned by the Holy man.

So they arrived, the Rich and the Poor and those with Just Enough.  Along came also the Bards and Poets and Statesmen.

And even Animals also, for they had Tales to Tell and Stories to Share.

The Holy man would interview all, and admonished each to Not Share the final Question, which was the most Difficult of All to answer.

‘Why did the Dali Lama enter the Pizza Parlor?” He would ask.

But Alas! None could answer.

Each Person under scrutiny would exit, and be asked by those hopeful to be part of the group, “Did you make it?  Are you In?”

“No,” would come the sad response, “I am Out and not In.”

“Ah So!” would come the cry.  “So sad.  Perhaps I can make it In”.

And So it went for such long time.

When finally, when all had failed, as the Holy man prepared to leave, he heard a tiny Voice and Looked Down.

“Sir,” came the voice from a Very Small Bug, “may I try to join?”

The Holy man, understanding that sometimes Very Large Gifts come from Very Surprising Places, granted the little bug an audience with him.

And finally came time for the Final Question.  And like the others, Alas! The little bug knew not the answer.

Dejected, the Holy man stood and started to pack things up.  But he was startled when he heard the Very Small Voice come back to him.

“Sir,” came the voice from the Very Small Bug, “please, if you would, be so kind as to tell me the Answer to the Question?”

Well, this was the first time anyone had asked this, so the Holy man, being of a Kind and Thoughtful Nature, proceeded to give The Answer to the diminutive guest.

The Little Bug, upon hearing the Reply, was so startled by the Answer that it didn’t know what to think for a Moment.  And after thinking for a bit, it started to Laugh.  Huge, large peals of Belly Laughter sprang forth from the Very Small Bug until it could scarcely Breathe.

The Bug was laughing so hard that it fell upon its back, with its hands and feet doubled up unto its Belly, and the Holy man laughed with the Very Small Bug and they were Very Happy for that Moment in Time.

However, soon the Laughter from the Very Small Bug died, as indeed the bug itself had perished in the fit of laughter.  Its little Body was still curled up and it was lying On its Back.

“Well,” sighed the Dalai Lama, “that was truly a Being of Great Joy.”

And seeing how much the Very Small Bug enjoyed the Joke which the Holy man had Told, he touched the bug ever so lightly and Blessed the body of the Very Small Bug.

“You have Made It, my little Friend,” said the Dalai Lama gently, “yes indeed you are In.

You are the only one of all kinds of Creatures that have made it Into this Sect.

From this Day forth, your Descendants shall be Numerous and upon Death, they also shall die Happy as you have Died.

This I grant upon All Very Small Bugs.”

And that, my friends, is why bugs die on their backs, and why there are so many of them; for they have become synonymous with the In sect.

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