NASRUDDIN
A FOOL OR A WISE MAN?
Nasruddin is a figure from the 13th century. There are tales and stories of Nasruddin all throughout the middle eastern world, from Turkey, Afghanistan, Iran, etc. You may hear his name as Hodja Nasruddin, which is the Turkish version. His character is that of a learned fool, or wiseman, and is left often for you to decide. On the surface of the stories, they are simple and funny. But if you look and listen deeper, you will learn how your actions play a very important role in our life, and of deeper truths. I recommend surfing the links below to learn more.
In our program, "Tales & Rhythms of the Middle East" we use short Nasruddin stories at the end of our program. People respond to them and we relate them in a humorous way. When we do children's programs, they get a laugh too! I still laugh and insist that Bobby and Elena, our storytellers, do certain ones for me! I've heard them a million times, but I always get a kick!
Here are just a few of my favorites greatly abridged: (of course, like every great story, to HEAR it told is much better!)
.
Nasruddin loved his donkey. One day the townspeople came running, "Effendi, Effendi!, your little donkey is lost!"
Nasruddin replied: "Praised be to Allah! Why, if I was on him I would have been lost too!"
In town, there was construction that went on
quite a while ago. The workers left behind a huge pile of dirt. The
townsfolk started to complain to one another,
"Would you look at that" and "Who is going to do something about
that" "Why, they just left a big pile of dirt that blows and dirties
my clean laundry hanging on the line", "Well, when will the town move
that dirt" "That dirt is making our town look like a filthy beggars
camp",
Well, on and on it went until Nasruddin had enough. One day he started
digging a hole, a another huge pile of dirt started to build up. One of
the townsfolk asked him, "Hodja, why are you digging a hole?
"Why, I got tired of hearing all the complaints and I am digging a hole to
put the dirt into"
"But Hodja, what will you do with the new pile of dirt you are making?
"Do I have to think of everything!?!", shouted Nasruddin.
The children especially like this one:
One
day Nasruddin had invited a visiting scholar to his house for a meal. Upon
the self-important visiting scholar's arrival at Nasruddin's house, the scholar
knocked and knocked. No answer, he looked through the windows, no-one
there. The scholar waited, and as he waited, he became angrier and
angrier. "Why, doesn't he know who I am" , "I am so and so
and who does he think he is to keep me waiting", the scholar thundered as
he stomped around Nasruddin's courtyard. FInally, he became so angry he
grabbed a pencil and scribbled on his doorway, "IDIOT!"
Well, around about 2 o'clock, Nasruddin returned home and suddenly
remembered! He RAN back to the marketplace shouting for the scholar when
he spotted him shortly.
"Oh, I am so sorry, please forgive me, I remembered our appointment when I
saw your name written on my door"
Nasruddin Links:
Nasruddin Hodja - highly recommended. Great for children -biography,
sources, links, very informative!
Azerbajan
National - article on Nasruddin Hodja
Mulla
Nasrudin - common sense stories from the Mulla
More Nasruddin! - more from
our beloved Hodja
