[ WP ] The gods play a practical joke on their followers for just one day . Allah , Buddha , Jesus , the Hindu gods and the Greek gods and goddesses took part .

Buddha had seemed quite tickled at the idea. `` Yes, it sounds very, um, enlightening, my dear Allah!'' 
 
 Allah had lumbered into the Word a short time earlier, and had explained his idea to the others. The Word was, of course, a favorite hangout of the Immortals, having a reputation as serving the best nectar and manna fritters in the entire realm - not to mention the poppy and honey tea. 
 
 A large number of the Immortals were already gathered, as it was Power Hour at the Word - lots of specials available. Hermes sat on a stool, sipping a can of Red Bull, having eschewed the Word specials for the mortal carbonated cocaine that had been offered to him by a minotaur, who had wandered in from a lower dimension. ( In the old days minotaurs, not being strictly Immortals, would n't have even been allowed in, much less been permitted to bring in an outside beverage. But times were different now ). 
 
 Always restless, and now even more torqued from the Red Bull, Hermes jiggled his knee up and down while listening to the minotaur's tearful recounting of a recent failed relationship. But they - along with everyone else - stopped what they were doing and looked up when Allah stepped to the front of the bar and addressed them. 
 
 `` Look'' Allah had begun `` I've been thinking, the Sheep have been so obtuse for so many millenia. It's like we've tried everything - extermination, compassion, revelation, more extermination... nothing takes. Still they cling to their ways, thinking one of us has all the answers to the exlusion of the others. Hell, a bunch of'em even deny the existence of most of us.'' 
 
 Satan nodded gravely, adding `` Yeah. And among the Christians, I'm treated like a Judas.'' Silence. `` You know, a few days ago, I was tempting one of'em and the guy says'If you're so smart, how come you're not God?' Nervy little prick.'' 
 
 `` Right'' Allah said, `` Anyway, I've thought of something that might be entertaining. For us at least. By the way, where's Jesus? I want him to hear this.'' 
 
 `` Here, dude.'' Jesus sat cross legged in the corner, whittling. His smock was, typically, stained with some sort of juice, which was sticky and created a goop to which the wood shavings clung. He was carving what vaguely appeared to be an image of Alec Baldwin from the wood. 
 
 `` Great - sorry, did n't see you down there. So, what if....'' 
 
 Allah presented his mischievous proposal. It was complicated but elegant. It would certainly cause the Sheep some discomfort, yet there was also a lesson in there, somewhere. Most likely. 
 
 There was much tittering among the audience, most of whom seemed genuinely amused. But then, moments after Allah finished his presentation, just as Buddha was giving his mirthful approval, the spectators' attention was drawn to a terse, shrill voice. 
 
 `` How is that going to help anything?'' It was Iapetus. The gods' own Jiminy Crickett. One could sense the stifling of a collective groan. `` We've done this sort of thing before,'' Iapetus continued, `` and Satan, you of all Immortals should remember - you were in on the fruit thing with those early hedonists. And you and Jesus - or Jesus' dad, or when Jesus WAS his dad... or whatever, that's so confusing - when you guys did the stuff to Job?'' 
 
 Iapetus paused and removed his spectacles for effect. He continued: 
 `` And poor Sisyphus - that's a running joke that apparently is n't going to end. What good did those things do? Sure, they were all funny. I'm not denying that. But the Sheep, they do n't get it. And we have an obligation to them. I mean, we did create them. At least some of us did, although figuring out who is really responsible is apparently not going to happen. Not this eternity.'' 
 
 A tense silence set upon the group. Allah sipped his nectar; he was smoldering. Satan's countenance darkened. The smell of sulphur began to permeate the air. Things were about to get ugly. Again. 
 

