Jim - so at last the story about our first emperor was good for something. Thanks to Dave and Nigel, too. But I'm still of the opinion that it's a little bit funny because it's so full of nonsense and boring.

Now let me tell the story behind it. Some 30 years ago a writer in a periodical asked the readers to send in their favourite jokes. I sent this, and soon got a letter. The writer thanked me for the feedback; he had invented and published it anonymously in the same periodical some 10 years ago.

Wilfried.