Dilbert cartoon first published on Sunday 19th August 2001

Dilbert//4509, first published 25 years ago on Sunday 19th August 2001

Tags

ratbert can't sleep tell story pointy haired monster cry dilbert bedtime story tells life story rat crys

Official transcript

Dilbert is sitting on his couch in his bathrobe. His pet rat approaches on the arm rest and says, "I can't sleep. Would you tell me a story."

The rat is cuddled under a blanket on the couch. Dilbert begins his story: "Once upon a time there was a pointy-haired monster."

He continues, "He promised riches to the villagers if they could achieve his random objectives."

The rat begins to get drowsy. Dilbert continues his story: "The villagers worked long hours but they were happy and optimistic."

Dilbert continues, "Suddenly the evil monster cut their funding and hired the village idiot to be project manager."

Dilbert continues, "And that is how the villagers got trapped in meetings for all eternity. The end."

The rat opens its eyes wide in horror. The rat cries, "Waaa!! Waaa!! Waaa!!"

Dilbert says to Dogbert, "Rats cry when they hear about my life."

Dogbert responds, "It never pays to listen."

originally published on dilbert.com

Open source transcript

I CAN'T SLEEP.

WOULD YOU TELL ME A STORY.

ONCE UPON A TIME THERE WAS A POINTY-HAIRED MONSTER.

HE PROMISED RICHES TO THE VILLAGERS IF THEY COULD ACHIEVE HIS RANDOM OBJECTIVES.

THE VILLAGERS WORKED LONG HOURS BUT THEY WERE HAPPY AND OPTIMISTIC.

SUDDENLY THE EVIL MONSTER CUT THEIR FUNDING AND HIRED THE VILLAGE IDIOT TO BE PROJECT MANAGER AND THAT IS HOW THE VILLAGERS GOT TRAPPED IN MEETINGS FOR ALL ETERNITY.

THE END.

WARA!!

WAAA!!

WAAAL RATS CRY WHEN THEY HEAR ABOUT MY LIFE.

IT NEVER PAYS TO LISTEN.

collated from github.com/jvarn/dilbert-archive

AI Analysis

Comic Strip Title: "A Pointy-Haired Monster's Promise"

Summary:

This comic strip, originally published in 2001, features Dilbert and Dogbert in a conversation about a pointy-haired monster who promises riches to the villagers if they can achieve random objectives. The story begins with the monster cutting the funding for the village's evil project manager, leading to the villagers getting trapped in meetings for eternity. As the story progresses, the monster is revealed to be a project manager, and the villagers are left crying about their life, never paying attention to listen.

Key Elements:

• Pointy-Haired Monster: A mysterious figure who promises riches to the villagers in exchange for achieving random objectives.
• Villagers: The main characters who are trying to achieve the monster's objectives.
• Evil Project Manager: The monster who is revealed to be the true enemy of the villagers.
• Meetings: The villagers are trapped in meetings for eternity, unable to escape.
• Crying: The villagers are left crying about their life, never paying attention to listen.

Themes:

• Deception: The pointy-haired monster deceives the villagers into achieving random objectives.
• Trapping: The villagers are trapped in meetings for eternity, unable to escape.
• Crying: The villagers are left crying about their life, never paying attention to listen.

Tone:

• Humorous: The comic strip uses humor to poke fun at the idea of a pointy-haired monster promising riches to the villagers.
• Satirical: The comic strip uses satire to comment on the absurdity of the situation and the villagers' naivety.

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