An author of fame and his friend who was an avid reader decided to visit Africa to see the sights and get new inspirations. They wandered all over the continent, from the mountains to the forests, from the desert to the ocean. One day as they were traveling through a particularly deep forest they where attacked by a tribe of cannibals. After a fierce but brief struggle the two men were captured and carried off to the tribe's village. Upon reaching the village the cannibals started a large fire and put a large kettle of water on the fire to boil. Needless to say our two heros thought that the end had come and started to prepare themselves to meet their fate. After a while the author noticed that the tribe was involved in a loud and heated debate. In order to find out what has happening he introduced himself and his friend to their guard and asked what the commotion was about. The guard informed him that it was the tribe's custom to free half of the victims captured and that the tribe was having trouble deciding which one of the two to eat and which one to let go. Well this went on for a little while longer but the tribe finally made up its mind and set the author free and threw his friend into the supper pot. After the shock of being released wore off the author he asked the village chief why he had been chosen to be released. The chief replied,"It was quite simple to decide once that we found out that you are a writer and your friend was a reader." This response confused the author even more, so he asked for further clarification. "It is simple", said the chief,
"readers digest but writers cramp".
Author unknown.
