I don't get it...

Factual Questions
1

saw this joke on a website.

A sibyl, a haruspex, and a rhabdomantist walked into a bar. The sibyl said, “There’s going to be this big flood, and it’s going to be terrible.” And the haruspex was looking at this dead animal, and he said, “Yeah, it’s going to rain hard and wipe everything out, and it’s going to do all kinds of damage.” And the rhabdomantist said, “That’s terrible! Why…I’d be out of a job!”

now, i looked up what a sibyl and a haruspex were, but i can’t figure out what a rhabdomantist is. anyone know?

Fippo-
the very model of a modern major general

2

My dictionary gives rhabdomancy as divination by rods or wands.

3

So does mine – what a coincidence!
Not much of a joke, if you ask me. (And if you don’t, it’s still not much of a joke!)

4

I laughed before I looked up what those things were, I think its that kind of joke.

It only hurts when I laugh.

5

I found it!
rhab do mancy, N. divination by means of rod or wand, esp. in discovering ores, springs of water, etc. -rhabdomantist, N.

So the sybil did his job by predicting the rain. The haruspex uses the dead animal to predict things but since the rhabdomanist uses a sort of supernatural power to find water he won’t need to after the flood comes. Get it now Ha Ha!!

BTW I think it’s the kinda joke that people tell each other when they know others are listing to make themselves look smarter. You always see that kinda thing on TV, ya know what I mean (I hope)

Formerly known as Nec3f on the AOL SDMB

6

For English, replace “rhabdomantist” with “dowser” or “water witch.” Then it makes more sense…