The Mind Reader

Once at a crossroad, Mulla Nasruddin saw a portly nobleman riding towards him. "I say, Mulla," said the man. "Which is the way to the palace?" "How did you know I was a Mulla?" asked Nasruddin. The nobleman had a habit of addressing every scholarly-looking man as Mulla which was a title given to learned men and meant master but he didn’t want to tell Nasruddin that. "How did I know?" he bragged. "Well, I’m a mind-reader, that’s how." "Pleased to meet you," said Mulla Nasruddin. "As to your question, read my mind and proceed."