A scientist came to visit the city one day, and met with the city's learned men at the mosque, debating with them on great religious and scientific affairs, always proving the supremacy of his knowledge. The King, upon hearing of this, requested a debate in his presence between this scientist and one of the grand scientists of the country. The town's experts feared ridicule, and instead decided to bring in a rogue with a long beard from one of the town's brothels. The latter accepted the offer, requesting respectable dress, and left off eating boiled eggs, placing the remaining egg in his pocket. The scientist requested that the debate be conducted using sign language, and the rogue accepted.
The scientist first pointed his finger to the sky, and the man replied by pointing two fingers. The scientist then raised both hands to the sky, and the rogue placed both hands on the ground. The scientist then took out a box with a small chick in it, so the rogue took out the egg from his pocket and threw it in his direction. The scientist was impressed and declared: "this man is a learned scientist and I would be honored to be his student." When the King asked the scientist about the meaning of his signs he answered: " First I pointed my finger to the sky meaning that God is one, and he answered with two fingers meaning that God is not two. I then raised my hands to the sky meaning that God raised the sky, and he answered that he also created earth. With the chick I meant to say that God brings life from the dead, and with the egg he answered that He also brings out the dead from the living." When the King asked the rogue about the meaning of the signs he answered:" The scientist was angry at first and pointed threateningly at me with his finger meaning that he will poke my eyes out, and I answered with two fingers that I will take out both his eyes. Then he raised both his hands meaning that he will throw me in the air, and I answered that I will overcome him on the ground. When he saw that I beat him he brought out the chick taking pride in that he eats chicken, so I took out the egg showing off that I eat eggs which is the source of the chicken."
Source: Rushdi al Ashhab, Kan Ya Ma Kan - Popular Stories
from Jerusalem, Alloush publishers, Jerusalem 1987.