An
astronomer is on an expedition to Darkest Africa to observe a total
eclipse of the sun, which will only be observable there, when he's
captured by cannibals. The eclipse is due the next day around noon.
To gain his freedom he plans to pose as a god and threaten to extinguish
the sun if he's not released, but the timing has to be just right.
So, in the few words of the cannibals' primative tongue that he
knows, he asks his guard what time they plan to kill him.
The
guard's answer is, "Tradition has it that captives are to be
killed when the sun reaches the highest point in the sky on the
day after their capture so that they may be cooked and ready to
be served for the evening meal."
"Great,"
the astronomer replies.
The
guard continues, though, "But because everyone's so excited
about it, in your case we're going to wait until after the eclipse."
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