From: utzoo!decvax!harpo!eagle!mhtsa!ihnss!ihuxn!maw
Newsgroups: net.jokes.q
Title: Buttercups
Article-I.D.: ihuxn.159
Posted: Wed Jun 23 16:07:01 1982
Received: Sun Jun 27 22:35:39 1982


It seems there was a hacker** who was out for a round of golf
one fine summer day.  Not being greatly skilled at this sport,
he sliced a shot into the edge of a woods.  As he drew back his
club to play the ball out of the woods, he heard a voice that
begged, "Please don't hurt the buttercups."  Indeed, he was
startled, but after looking around him and seeing no one, he
again drew back his club.  Once more heard the voice: "Please
don't hurt the buttercups."

"Who are you?" he asked in bewilderment, to which came the reply,
"This is Mother Nature.  If you don't hurt the buttercups, I'll
give you all the *free butter* you can eat for a year."

The man responded cynically, "That's just great.  Where were you
when I was in the pussy willows!?"

----------

** golfer, that is--they were called "hackers" long before we
   programmers were.