Once there was a king who had three queens, and they all spoke through their noses. One day, just before the king went hunting, he called his queens and said, “If any king, queen or VIP comes while I’m hunting please receive them with our best hospitality. But don’t speak to them, otherwise they’ll know you all have a speech defect.”

Soon after the king set out for his hunt, a king arrived from a foreign country. The queens welcomed him with the utmost cordiality, but didn’t say a word.

After serving him dinner the eldest queen was perplexed to see that he only ate a tiny portion of rice. Unable to control herself she blurted out, “Your Majesty, permit me to give you a little more rice.”

The second queen glared at her and said, “Sister, you’re not supposed to speak to the king.”

The youngest and cleverest queen placed a finger over her lips and said, “But I didn’t speak to the king. That’s the last thing I intend to do.”