Buying an Elephant

Nasruddin decided he was going to buy an elephant, and he knew it would be an expensive purchase. Since he didn't have enough money, he went to his richest friend to borrow the money.
His friend, however, refused to give him the loan. "You're not thinking clearly, Nasruddin," he said. "Elephants are expensive to buy, and they are also expensive to keep. If you don't have the money to buy an elephant, how will you be able to afford to house the elephant and feed it?"
"You don't understand," said Nasruddin angrily. "I came here for a loan, not advice."

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Inspired by: The Pleasantries of the Incredible Mulla Nasrudin by Idries Shah, free to read online at the Idries Shah Foundation, p. 1.
Notes: This story also appears in Shah's book  The Sufis.

I included this book in Tiny Tales of Nasruddin, where it is story 114.