Shaggy dog story

This extended pun/shaggy dog story is the explanation behind my online handle, BritishKoalaTea.

A man walks into a tea-shop while on holiday in Marseille and asks the waiter about the specials. He's told they serve a delicious tea that is doubly special because it's brewed by koalas at the local zoo. Thinking this interesting, he orders some. When his tea comes, he picks up the cup and takes a big gulp. Immediately, he begins coughing and spluttering. He spits the tea back into his cup and begins wiping his tongue with a napkin.

The waiter hurries over and asks if everything is all right.

"Of course it's not alright." the man says. "You didn't strain out this tea. I got a mouthful of leaves."

"But don't you know?" the waiter responds. "The koala tea of Marseille's not strained."

The origins of that one are a quote from Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice:

The quality of mercy is not strained;
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath. It is twice blest
It blesseth him that gives and him that takes
'T is mightiest in the mightiest; it becomes
The throned monarch better than his crown
His sceptre shows the force of temporal power,
The attribute to awe and majesty,
Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings;
But mercy is above this sceptred sway;
It is enthronèd in the hearts of kings,
It is an attribute to God himself;
And earthly power doth then show likest God's
When mercy seasons justice. Therefore, Jew,
Though justice be thy plea, consider this,
That, in the course of justice, none of us
Should see salvation: we do pray for mercy;
And that same prayer doth teach us all to render
The deeds of mercy. I have spoke thus much
To mitigate the justice of thy plea;
Which if thou follow, this strict court of Venice
Must needs give sentence 'gainst the merchant there.