> OK, here's how it happened...

> On the first day, God created the dog and said: "Sit all day by the
> door of your house and bark at anyone who comes in or walks past. For
> this, I will give you a life span of twenty years."

> The dog said: "That's a long time to be barking. How about only ten
> years and I'll give you back the other ten?"

> So God agreed.

> On the second day, God created the monkey and said: "Entertain people,
> do tricks, and make them laugh. For this, I will give you a twenty
> year life span."

> The monkey said: "Monkey tricks for twenty years? That's a pretty long
> time to perform. How about I give you back ten like the Dog did?"

> And God agreed.

> On the third day, God created the cow and said: "You must go into the
> field with the farmer all day long and suffer under the sun, have
> calves and give milk to support the farmer's family. For this, I will
> give you a life span of sixty years."

> The cow said: "That's kind of a tough life you want me to live for
> sixty years. How about twenty and I'll give back the other forty?"

> And God agreed again.

> On the fourth day, God created humans and said: "Eat, sleep, play,
> marry and enjoy your life. For this, I will give you twenty years."

> But the human said: "Only twenty years? Could you possibly give me my
> twenty, the forty the cow gave back, the ten the monkey gave back, and
> the ten the dog gave back; that makes eighty, okay?"

> "Okay," said God, "You asked for it."

> So, that's why for our first twenty years we eat, sleep, play and
> enjoy ourselves. For the next forty years we slave in the sun to
> support our family. For the next ten years we do monkey tricks to
> entertain the grandchildren. And for the last ten years we sit on the
> front porch and bark at everyone..

> Life has now been explained to you.