Babylonia

There was a Babylonian general who was declared a traitor for leading a revolt. He escaped one night and hid in an old Babylonian ziggurat, or temple, where he expected to find some of his associates. He searched all over, but couldn't find them! So he figured he better burn all the secret plans that were hidden in the ziggurat. As soon as the fire was going he threw in the first papers, and he was then promptly discovered and recaptured.

Moral: "WARNING! -- The searchin' general has determined that smoking ziggurats may be hazardous to your stealth!"