I feel a little less redeemable for not knowing why #269 is so amusing.
While fishing, one of three men caught a mermaid. She begged to be released, promising to grant each of them a wish for her freedom.
"OK, if you can really grant wishes, then double my IQ" & the mermaid complied.
Suddenly he starts reciting Shakespeare flawlessly and analyzing it with brilliant historic / literary insight.
The second guy is so amazed he says to the mermaid: "Triple my IQ" The mermaid complies.
He starts spouting solutions to problems that have been stumping the most brilliant scientists in the most challenging fields.
The 3rd man is so amazed with the changes in his friends, he says to the mermaid: "Quintuple my IQ"
The mermaid says to him: "You know, I normally don't try to change people's minds when they make a wish but I believe you should reconsider.
The guy says: "Nope, I want you to increase my IQ times five, and if you don't do it, I won't set you free."
"Please," the mermaid said, "You don't know what you're asking. It'll change your entire view on the universe....won't you ask for something else...a million dollars, anything?"
But no matter what the mermaid said, he insisted on having his IQ increased by five times its usual power.
So the mermaid overlooked her own reservations, and complied,
by changing him into a woman.