The cosmic alignment tonight does work in mysterious ways: As a cottage in flames is the setup of one of the funniest things written in the history of English literature. By R. Kipling on The discovery of cooked meat in ancient China

From Project Gutenberg: The Best of the World's Classics EBook, Vol 5.
http://www.gutenberg.org/files/22182/22182-8.txt

" You graceless whelp, what have you got there
devouring? Is it not enough that you have burnt
me down three houses with your dog's tricks, and
be hanged to you ! but you must be eating fire, and
I know not what — what have you got there, I say?"

" O father, the pig, the pig ! Do come and taste
how nice the burnt pig eats."

The ears of Ho-ti tingled with horror. He
cursed his son, and he cursed himself that ever he
should beget a son that should eat burnt pig.

[EDIT] The short story only:
http://www.philosophy.uncc.edu/mleld...ings/lamb.html