A soldier is on patrol in Afghanistan and he comes upon an Afghan farmer at his farm. He looks around and then approaches the farmer.

"How is everything here on your farm? Are you treating your animals well?"

"Yes," replies the Afghan, "very well."

"Great," says the soldier. He looks over and sees a cow in the barn. "You mind if I ask the cow how you're treating her?"

"Cow no talk," says the farmer.

Regardless, the soldier approaches the cow and starts chatting with it, asking it how things are going. "Well, he takes good care of me. He milks me every morning and keeps us in good pastures with good grass to eat. I'm doing just fine."

The farmer's mouth is agape as he cannot believe what he is hearing! The soldier returns to the farmer's side and asks, "How bout the horse? Can I chat with him about the farm?"

Again the farmer replies, "Horse no talk." But the soldier approaches the horse, asks him how things are, and the horse says, "Things are pretty good. The farmer brings me fresh hay every week and we go riding every Friday to check the fences. Not bad at all, very happy to be here."

The farmer nearly can't believe his own eyes and ears. He is scratching his head in bewilderment as the soldier returns.

The soldier says, "So, how about I talk to one of your sheep..."

The Afghan farmer breaks in quickly, "Sheep lie! Sheep lie!"