157 - Grammatical Error

Once Nasrudin was travelling to a nearby town on a bullock cart. The journey was a long one and in order to pass away the time, he started conversing with his co passengers. He asked one fellow passenger how many children he had. The passenger replied that he had two and both were girls.

"How old are they and do they go to school?" asked Hodja. "One is four years and the other is 6 years and only one and only one of my children go to school," said the passenger.

"You are forgetting your grammar," Nasrudin Hodja told the passenger. "You must say only one of my children goes to school. Speak correctly or don't ever speak at all."

Sometime later, Nasrudin Hodja's bag of potatoes fell off the cart. But remembering Hodja's words, the passenger kept quiet. When Hodja saw his bag of potatoes missing, he asked the passenger about it.

The passenger told him that it fell off the cart a long time back. "But why didn't you tell me about it?" Hodja wanted to know.

"I was planning to tell it to you, but I was wondering whether 'Your bag is falling off' was correct or 'Your bag fell off' was more correct. Since, I didn't know, I kept quiet," replied the man.

Hodja cursed himself!

source: Stories from Here and There, Ekalavya Education Foundation - By: Sunil Handa - http://www.eklavya.org/storyhere.html

153 - Hodja pays nothing

Once Hodja went to Ali's shop to buy some fruits. They knew each other well and Ali wanted to play a joke on Hodja.

"How much for these bananas?", asked Hodja.

"Nothing!" replied Ali. "You can take as many as you want."

"It is amazing!" said Hodja. "Let me have a dozen, then."

The bananas were given to Hodja and he ate them all as he was hungry. When Hodja was leaving the shop, Ali asked him for the money. "But, you said they cost nothing," said Hodja.

"Yes," said Ali. "I told you they would cost nothing. But you have to pay me that nothing."

"Okay," said Hodja. "But first you will have to tell me what is in my bag."

"In your bag? Nothing!" replied Ali.

"Okay then, take it. That's the payment for your bananas."

Ali who decided to play a prank on Hodja, was fooled himself.

source: Stories from Here and There, Ekalavya Education Foundation - By: Sunil Handa - http://www.eklavya.org/storyhere.html

152 - A day to think

Hodja and his friend, Abdul, once decided to bet on a cricket match.

"Turkey's winning this time," said Abdul.

"No," said Hodja. "It's Iran."

And when Turkey won, Hodja lost the bet.

"What do you want me to give you as a reward?" asked Hodja.

"Well, let me think it over, " said Abdul. "Give me a day to make up my mind."

The next day, Abdul said, "I've decided that you give me a strong and healthy horse."

"A strong and healthy horse?" said Hodja, astonished.

"Yes," said Abdul. "Because you owe it to me. Have you forgotten the bet we made yesterday?"

"But, that is over," said Hodja. "You said, you wanted a day to think it over and I have already given it to you, haven't I?"

source: Stories from Here and There, Ekalavya Education Foundation - By: Sunil Handa - http://www.eklavya.org/storyhere.html

138 - Hit him on the head

One day as Nasrudin Hodja was walking down the street, a man came up behind him and hit him on the head.

"Why did you do this to me?" he asked. The man said that he was sorry and did not intend to hit him.

He said he thought that it was his friend Afzal, who loked similar from behind. "I do not want to hear your explanations," said Hodja. "You can tell it to the judge. I am going to complain about you to him."

When the man was brought before the judge, he saw that it was his friend Hasan, and did not want to give him harsh punishment.

"Did you hit this poor man?" he asked.

"Yes," said the man who hit Nasrudin Hodja on the head. "Then you will have to pay him a fine of two silver coins," said the judge. "But I do not have the money with me. I will have to go home and get it," said the man.

"Okay then, go home and get it," said the judge. Something told Nasrudin Hodja that the tow men were friends. Picking up the courage, he went behind the judge and hit him on the head.

"Why did you do this to me?" he asked. "Well, the fine for that will be two silver coins, won't it?" said Hodja. "You can keep the money your friend has gone home to bring."

source: Stories from Here and There, Ekalavya Education Foundation - By: Sunil Handa - http://www.eklavya.org/storyhere.html

137 - Paying Back

One day Nasrudin was walking breathlessly up and down on the veranda of his house.  His wife who saw this, asked him what was the matter.

"I have taken a loan of a hundred dinars from Ebrahim and was supposed to return it this evening. But I don't have the money to pay him back." he told her.

"So what?" said the wife. "Ebrahim is a very kind man. Go and tell him that you cannot pay it today. He'll understand."

So Nasrudin went to Ebrahim's house and told him about it. When he returned, his wife asked him what happened.

"Well", said Nasrudin, "he listened to me calmly and is now waling up and down on the veranda of his house."

source: Stories from Here and There, Ekalavya Education Foundation - By: Sunil Handa - http://www.eklavya.org/storyhere.html

136 - The fish that saved my life

On his long journeys in India, Nasrudin met a holy man in the forest. The man was sitting and meditating under a tree when Nasrudin saw him. Nasrudin thought he might learn something about Indian philosophy from this man. So he sat down and patiently waited for the man to finish his meditation.

The holy man opened his eyes and saw the Mulla sitting in front of him. "Who are you?" asked the man.

"I have come from a distant country to learn about India," replied Nasrudin. "Tell me, O Holy One, what are your beliefs?"

"I believe that every living being has a soul. Even an animal has a soul and that makes it do good."

"I agree completely with you," said Nasrudin, "for once a fish saved my life."

"Really? That is wonderful. I have never yet met anyone who told me such a story. You seem to be specially blessed. You must stay with me a few weeks."

So Nasrudin stayed with the holy man and they talked for a long time about religion and God. After a few days the man asked Nasrudin, "Tell me about the story of the fish that saved your life."

"Certainly," replied the Mulla. "You see, I was walking down a long road on my travels. I was hungry and there was no village in sight. I thought I would faint from hunger. After some time I saw a big lake at a distance. I ran to it for a drink of water."

"Then?" asked the holy man. He looked like he might kiss Nasrudin's feet. "Did you fall in? Did a fish save your from drowning?"

"No, I caught a fish from the lake and cooked it for my dinner. I tell you, it saved my life. I would have starved to death otherwise."

source: Stories from Here and There, Ekalavya Education Foundation - By: Sunil Handa - http://www.eklavya.org/storyhere.html

124 - A turban fit for a king

Once Nasrudin bought a really beautiful turban and decided to wear it to court. He hoped that the King would like the turban so much that he could sell it at a profit to him. As expected, the King admired the turban a lot.

"How much did you pay for that turban Mulla?" asked the King. "A thousand pieces of gold, your highness!" lied Nasrudin.

The King's wazir guessed what Nasrudin was trying to do and whispered in the King's ear, "Your Majesty, only a fool would have paid so much money for that turban. He is trying to trick you into buying it."

So the King asked, "But why did you pay so much money for that turban? Surely it i not worth so much?"

The Mulla replied, "Your Highness, I paid the money because I knew that only one king in the entire world would have the good taste to want to buy a turban like this one."

The King was so flattered that he ordered Nasrudin to be given two thousand pieces of gold in exchange for the turban.

Later, the Mulla met the Wazir and said, "Perhaps you know the value of turbans, but I know the weakness of kings!"



source: Stories from Here and There, Ekalavya Education Foundation - By: Sunil Handa - http://www.eklavya.org/storyhere.html

122 - The psychiatrist

Nasrudin had a very strange problem. One day he visited a psychiatrist and told him of his problem. "Every night," he said, "when I go to bed, I feel that somebody is under it, trying to scare me away. then I get up and look underneath, but find nobody there. I then sleep under the bed. When I do this, I have the feeling that somebody is up on the bed. This goes on all night and I have to go up and down the bed all night long. This is driving me mad. Please do something to help me out, doctor."

The psychiatrist told Nasrudin that he could help him out. "All you have to do is," he said, "visit me twice a week for the next two years. Each visit will cost you 50 gold coins."

Nasrudin was a poor man and couldn't afford this much money He told the psychiatrist that he would think it over and let him know of his decision within a week.

A week later, Nasrudin telephoned the psychiatrist and said, "Don't worry doctor, I won't need your help anymore. My wife has cut off the legs of the bed on which I sleep and solved the problem !"

source: Stories from Here and There, Ekalavya Education Foundation - By: Sunil Handa - http://www.eklavya.org/storyhere.html

Yes and No

Mulla Nasruddin was very ill -- tense, psychiatrically ill.

And the illness was that he became, by and by, absolutely unable to make any decision -- not big decisions at that, but small ones also: whether to take a bath or not, whether to wear this tie or that, whether to take a taxi to the office or drive the car -- not big ones, small decisions, but he became unable to make them so he was put in a psychiatric hospital.

Six months of treatment and everything settled, and the doctors felt that now he was okay.

They said one day, 'Now, Nasruddin, you are absolutely okay. You can go back in the world, take your job, start working and functioning. We are completely satisfied that now there is nothing wrong.'

But seeing a slight indecision on Nasruddin's part the doctor said, 'Don't you feel that now you are ready to go into the world and start working and functioning?'

Nasruddin said, 'Yes and no.'

Source: Osho - And the Flowers Showered...

117 - The face in the window

One day Nasrudin Hodja saw his friend arriving from the window of his house. He owed him a lot of money and did not have it at that moment to pay him back. So he called out to his wife and said, "When Feroz arrives, tell him I'm not at home."

But Feroz had seen him at the window. When he knocked on the door and was told be the wife that was not at home, he said, "Okay, tell him next time not to leave his face in the window."




source: Stories from Here and There, Ekalavya Education Foundation - By: Sunil Handa - http://www.eklavya.org/storyhere.html

092 - You do not have to break the law

Mulla Nasrudin found a diamond by the road-side but, according to the law, finders became keepers only if they first announced their find in the centre of the marketplace on three separate occasions.

Now Nasrudin was too religious minded to disregard the law and too greedy to run the risk of parting with his find.So on three consecutive nights when he was sure that everyone was fast asleep he went to the centre of the marketplace and there announced in a soft voice, "I have found a diamond on the road that leads to the town. Anyone knowing who the owner is should contact me at once."

No one was the wiser for the Mullah's words, of course, except for one man who happened to be standing at his window on the third night and heard the Mullah murmur something. When he attempted to find out what it was, Nasrudin replied, "I am in no way obliged to tell you. But this much I shall say, being a religious man, I went out there at night to pronounce certain words in fulfillment of the Law."

To be properly wicked, you do not have to break the Law.
Just observe it to the letter !


source: Stories from Here and There, Ekalavya Education Foundation - By: Sunil Handa - http://www.eklavya.org/storyhere.html

085 - A reason to be thankful

"I need money. Can you lend me a hundred Tuman (Iranian currency)?" a man asked his friend, Nasrudin.

"I have the money, but I won't give it to you. Be grateful for that!" Angrily the friend replied, "That you have money and don't want to give it to me, I can rather understand. But that i should be grateful for it is not only incomprehensible, but a downright disgrace."

"My dear friend," Nasrudin answered, "you asked me for money. I could have said, 'Come tomorrow.' Tomorrow I would have said, 'I'm sorry I can't give it to you yet, come back day after tomorrow.' If you had come to me then, I would have said, 'Come at the end of the week.' In this way I could have held you off till the end of time or at least until someone else had given you the money.

But you wouldn't have found someone else, because you would have been so preoccupied with coming to me, and you would have always counted on getting the money from me. So, I tell you in all honesty that I'm not going to give you the money. So, you can look for it elsewhere and try to make your fortune there. Be grateful to me."

source: Stories from Here and There, Ekalavya Education Foundation - By: Sunil Handa - http://www.eklavya.org/storyhere.html

084 - Everyone is right

Mulla Nasrudin was made a judge by the villagers.

The plaintiff narrated his version of the story.

Mulla was impressed and said, "You are right."

The defendant came forward and said, "Mulla, you have not listened to my side of the story. In fact, the other man had been persecuting me. I am the real victim."

And Mulla exclaimed, "Yes, you are right."

One person from he audience stood up and stated, "Mulla, how can this be possible that both the plaintiff and and the defendant are right?"

Mulla maintained his poise and solemnly said, "Yes, you are also right."

Everyone is right to some extent.

And everyone is wrong to some extent.

source: Stories from Here and There, Ekalavya Education Foundation - By: Sunil Handa - http://www.eklavya.org/storyhere.html

067 - Whom should you believe ?

"Can you lend me your donkey for this afternoon?" a farmer asked Mulla.

"Dear Friend," replied the Mulla, "you know that I am always ready to give you help when you need it. My heart longs to lend my donkey to you, an orthodox man. It pleases my eye to see you bring home the fruits of the field with my donkey. But what can't say, my dear friend? At the moment. someone else has my donkey."

Moved by Mulla's sincerity, the farmer thanked him profusely by saying, "Well, even if you couldn't help me, your kind words have helped me a great deal. May god be with you, O noble, kind and wise Mulla."

But, as the farmer was still frozen in a deep bow, there came from the stall a bloodcurdling heehaw. The farmer was startled, looked up in astonishment, and finally asked mistrustfully, "What do I hear? Your donkey is there after all. I heard this donkey like voice."

The Mulla turned red with anger and screamed, "You ungrateful man, I told you the donkey is not there. Whom do you believe more? The Mulla or the stupid cries of an even more stupid donkey?"

source: Stories from Here and There, Ekalavya Education Foundation - By: Sunil Handa - http://www.eklavya.org/storyhere.html

044 - Donkey prices

Nasrudin always brought donkeys to sell in the weekly market. They were healthy, strong donkeys and he sold them at a very low price. As a result he sold all his donkeys and earned quite a bit of money.

One day a rich merchant who also sold donkeys at the market come up to him and asked, "How is this possible, Nasrudin? I sell my donkeys at a low price and make very little profit. I don't spend anything on feeding those donkeys because I can force farmers to give me free hay.

My slaves look after the donkeys and I don't pay them any money. But your prices are even lower than mine and yet you make a greater profit each time!"

"That's not very difficult,"  replied Nasrudin. "You see, you steal the food and the labour for your donkeys. I steal donkeys!"

source: Stories from Here and There, Ekalavya Education Foundation - By: Sunil Handa - http://www.eklavya.org/storyhere.html

042 - Boat is not going anywhere !

Mulla Nasrudin ran towards the river. He had to go on a tour. He was in a hurry. And was anxious not to miss the last boat of the day.

As he approached the river he saw that the boat had just left. He ran and jumped onto the boat - slipped, fell down, clothes torn, elbows scratched and bleeding.

But he stood up with great satisfaction on his achievement and with great pride told the other travellers, "I managed to reach! I was late but still caught the boat !"

The other travellers in the boat said, "We do not understand. What was the hurry? This boat is not going, it is coming !"

source: Stories from Here and There, Ekalavya Education Foundation - By: Sunil Handa - http://www.eklavya.org/storyhere.html

040 - Donkey bargain

Nasrudin had a donkey that he hated. One day he decided to sell the donkey and buy another one. So he went off to the market place with it and asked the auctioneer to sell the donkey.

That evening Nasrudin burst into the house with a big smile on his face. His wife, who had been cooking, was so surprised at his noisy entrance that she almost dropped the spoon into the fire.

"What's the matter?", she asked.

"You will never guess what I did today!"

"Oh no!" I don't even want to think about the possibilities," groaned the wife.

"Listen!" said Nasrudin, "I took my donkey and asked the auctioneer to sell it this afternoon. Then I stayed on to collect my money. And when my donkey went up for sale, the man said, "Take a look at this donkey, my friends. Have you ever seen such a healthy animal?"

"Of course it was healthy," said the wife. "It ate and ate and never worked!"

"Then people started to bid money for my donkey. Someone even wanted to pay three gold pieces at the very beginning!"

"I hope someone paid more than that!"

"Why wouldn't they? After all, as the auctioneer said, my donkey has nice long ears, strong legs, good teeth and was also very young."

"So, how much did you get for it?" asked the wife excitedly. By now she thought someone must have paid at least ten gold pieces for that useless donkey.

"Oh, you should have been there," said Nasrudin. "People were bidding against each other to buy that donkey. And the auctioneer kept raising it until..."

"Until....?" shouted his wife, jumping up and down in joy.

Suddenly she stopped. From outside she could clearly hear a loud braying that was really familiar. She looked at Nasrudin in horror.

"Until," he continued with a big smile, "I bid the highest amount and bought the excellent donkey for thirty gold pieces!"

source: Stories from Here and There, Ekalavya Education Foundation - By: Sunil Handa - http://www.eklavya.org/storyhere.html

034 - Then do it

Nasrudin was a well-known writer and was invited to deliver an hour long lecture to a group of college students who planned to be writers.

Mulla opened his talk with a question, "How many of you really intend to be writers?'

All hands went up.

"In that case," said Nasrudin, "my advice to you is to go home and write."

With that, he left.


source: Stories from Here and There, Ekalavya Education Foundation - By: Sunil Handa - http://www.eklavya.org/storyhere.html

025 - Perhaps there is a road up there

Some small boys planned to steal the Mulla's slippers and run away with them.

They called him, and pointed to a tree: "Nobody could climb that tree."

"Any one of you could," said Nasrudin, "and I shall show you." Removing his slippers he tucked them into his belt and began to climb.

"Mulla," they cried, "you won't need your slippers in a tree."

Nasrudin ( who had sensed without knowing why ) that he should take his slippers with him, reproved them, "Be prepared for every emergency. For all I know, I might find a road up there."

source: Stories from Here and There, Ekalavya Education Foundation - By: Sunil Handa - http://www.eklavya.org/storyhere.html

020 - Why don't you?

Nasrudin went to the shop of a man who stocked all kinds of bits and pieces.

"Have you got nails?" he asked.
"Yes."

"And leather, good leather?"
"Yes."

"and twine?"
"Yes."

"And dye?"
"Yes."

"Then why, for heaven's sake, don't you make a pair of boots?"

source: Stories from Here and There, Ekalavya Education Foundation - By: Sunil Handa - http://www.eklavya.org/storyhere.html