Heres an interesting personality who lived around a century ago, and thought i’d share his life story. 
Bahlool dana lived under the rule of Caliph Harun Rashid and was a student of 6th Imam Jaffer(as). His real name was Wahab bin Amr. He was a well known Qazi (judge) and scholar among the people and quite wealthy too.
However, once a few of the Imam (as) companions (including bahlool)came to him and asked him for advice because the Chaliph was angry with them and they feared thier life was in danger.
The Imam replied by simply saying the letter ‘Jeem’. Everyone took thier own interpretation of it. Someone took it as jala watan- went in to exile, another took the meaning as jabl- took refuge in the mountains, but Bahlool took it as Junoon –went insane.
So the next day Bahlool went out on to the streets and ditched his rich life for rags. He would play in the streets with sticks and wheels and make small houses with mud like kids. The people were shocked at first, as Bahlool was by no means an ordinary person, but pretty soon they were laughing at him and called him ‘majnoon’ and all sorts. Thus the name Bahlool da’ana became his new name.
It is said that the Caliph knew why Bahlool was acting this way, but there was not much he could do to a man who ‘acted’ insane. Sometimes he acted just crazy, other times they were funny, but most of the times there was a purpose or meaning behind his action.
There are so many stories of Bahlools famous antics, the most famous being where he answered three questions with one clay stone. Heres one i can remember, and i’ll post the others if i can find them.
**A Bundle, Barley Bread, and Vinegar. **
It is said that Bahlool mostly spent his time sitting in a graveyard. One day, as usual, he went there. Haroun passed by, desiring to hunt. When he arrived near Bahlool he asked, “Bahlool, what are you doing?”
“I’ve come to visit such people who don’t backbite, who don’t expect anything from me and don’t cause me pain in any way.”
Harun then asked him, “Will you tell me something about Qiyamat, Sirat, and the questions and answers about this world?”
Bahlool replied: "Ask your slave to light a fire and place a flat iron pan over it till it becomes red-hot.
Haroun ordered it and it was done.
“O Haroun! I will stand barefoot on this pan and introduce myself. I will describe whatever I have eaten and worn. After that, you have to stand barefoot like I did, introduce yourself, and describe whatever you have eaten and worn.”
Haroun agreed.
Then Bahlool stood on the hot pan and quickly said, “Bahlool, a bundle (of tattered clothes), barley bread and vinegar.” He immediately came off his feet barely burned at all. When Haroun’s turn came, the list was very long, his feet got burnt, and he fell off.
Bahlool told him, 'Qiyamat’s questions and answers are like this. Those who worship Allah, are content, and stay away from greediness of the world’s rank and dignity will easily pass Sirat, but those who are attached to worldly majesty and splendor will be faced with troubles."
If you know other bahlool stories, please share em here.
It’s funny too.