A SAMURAI AND A ZEN MASTER

While he was away Nasrudin frightened himself still more, working himself up into a
frenzy, which he tried to counter by imagining how he would attack any demon who
threatened him.
Presently the dervish returned.
"Keep your distance, or "I'll kill you!" said Nasrudin.
"But I am the dervish," said the dervish.
"I don't care who you are-your maybe a demon in disguise. Besides, you have your head
and eyebrows shaved!" The dervishes of that order shave their head and eyebrows.
"But I have come to bring you water! Don't you remember-you are thirsty!"
"Don't try and ingratiate yourself with me, Demon!"
"But that is my hole you are occupying!" said the dervish.
"That's hard luck for you, isn't it? You'll just have to find another one." replied Nasrudin.
"I suppose so," said the dervish, "but I am sure I don't know what to make of all this."
"I can tell you one thing," said Nasrudin, "and that is that fear is multidirectional."
"It certainly seems stronger than thirst, or sanity, or other peoples property," said the
dervish.