"Mulla, Mulla, my son has written from the Abode of Learning to say that he has completely finished his studies!" "Console yourself, madam, with the thought that God will no doubt send him more."
Nasreddin or Nasreddin Hodja (1208–1285) is a character commonly found in the folklores of the Muslim world, and a hero of humorous short stories and satirical anecdotes. There are frequent statements about his existence in real life and even archaeological evidence in specific places, for example, a tombstone in the city of Akşehir, Turkey. There is currently no confirmed information or serious g
"Well, Nasreddin. I know you lose your only donkey. Life may be difficult without it. But, dont be too sad brother," the man tried to cheer him up. "Do I look sad?" "Yes, you look very sad. You looked much sadder than you did when your wife died." [...] "At that time you all tried to cheer me up by saying Dont be too sad, my brother Nasreddin. Well get you a new wife. But now you see, nobody offers me a donkey to replace my lost one."
"Once Nasreddin was invited to deliver a sermon. When he got on the pulpit, he asked, Do you know what I am going to say? The audience replied "no", so he announced, I have no desire to speak to people who dont even know what I will be talking about! and left. The people felt embarrassed and called him back again the next day. This time, when he asked the same question, the people replied yes. So Nasreddin said, Well, since you already know what I am going to say, I wont waste any more of your time! and left. Now the people were really perplexed. They decided to try one more time and once again invited the Mulla to speak the following week. Once again he asked the same question – Do you know what I am going to say? Now the people were prepared and so half of them answered "yes" while the other half replied "no". So Nasreddin said Let the half who know what I am going to say, tell it to the half who dont, and left."
"I can see in the dark." "That may be so, Mulla. But if it is true, why do you sometimes carry a candle at night?" "To prevent other people from bumping into me."
"[Nasreddin Hoca is being shaved by an inexperienced barber.] "One moment, Sir!" said the barber, and he stuck a bit of cotton on the wound. In the next pass of the razor, another bit of the Hocas cheek went with it. "One moment, sir!" and he stuck a bit of cotton on the second wound. With each stroke of the razor, another bit of cotton joined the crop sprouting on the Hocas left cheek. "Now," said the barber, "Ill do the other side." "One moment, young man!" said the Hoca as he studied the bits of cotton that dotted his left cheek. "Stop right there! I believe Ill plant wheat on the other side."
"Nasrudin, your donkey has been lost." "Thank goodness I was not on the donkey at the time, or I would be lost too."
"Nasreddin Khodja commanded his disciples, when he sneezed, to salute him by clapping their hands and crying out: "Haïr Ollah, Khodja," that is "Prosperity to thee, O Master!" Now it came to pass that on one of the days the bucket fell into the well [...] he descended, caught the bucket, and the boys were already pulling him up, when, just as he was drawing near the edge of the well, he chanced to sneeze. Whereupon they, mindful of the masters behest, let go the rope and, clapping their hands in high glee, cried out in chorus: "Haïr Ollah, Khodja," Nasreddin was precipitated violently into the well, bruising himself against the sides. [...] "Well, boys, it was not your fault, but mine: too much honour is no good thing for man."