A man had fallen between the rails in a subway station.

People were all crowding around trying to get him out

before the train ran him over. They were all shouting.

"Give me your hand!" but the man would not reach up.

Mulla Nasrudin elbowed his way through the crowd and

leaned over the man. "Friend," he asked, "what is your profession?"

"I am an income tax inspector," gasped the man.

"In that case," said Nasrudin, "take my hand!"

The man immediately grasped the Mulla's hand and was

hauled to safety.

Nasrudin turned to the amazed by-standers and declared, "Never ask a tax man to *give* you

anything, you fools!"