As Stalin walked down the ranks of the troops he heard a thunderous sneeze. Fearing an assassination attempt he roared, “Who sneezed?”

There was no answer and the troops froze in terror. He turned to the KGB colonel and said, “Shoot the first rank of troops.”

Immediately his guard shot the first rank of troops. Staring over the twitching bodies he roared, “Who sneezed?” But they were petrified and stayed silent once again. Giving a signal to his guard they immediately shot the next row of troops.

In the third row a terrified trooper looked at the carnage and couldn’t take any more. He saluted and said, “Comrade Stalin. It was I who sneezed.”

“Do you need a handkerchief?”

Graham B.