Hoja Stories

8/11/2019 Hoja Stories

1/20

Nasreddin Hodja Tales of the Turkish Trickster

retold by

D. L. Ashliman 2001-2002

Contents1. About Nasreddin Hodja 2. E eryone !s "i#ht 3. $alnuts and %um&'ins 4. (aith )o es )ountains 5. *he +mell o, (ood and the +ound o, )oney 6. *he Debt 7. *he +la& 8. *he ur a 9. *he $i,e/s Name 10. *he lder $i,e 11. *he (a orite $i,e 12. *he Contrary )other-in-La 13. Eat )y Coat Eat 14. A Close Call 15. *he "obe 16. "estorin# the )oon 17. (lour on the Clothesline 18. *he + uea'y +hoe 19. *he Lost +hoe 20. Allah/s House 21. *he Cauldron *hat Died 22. *he "e3i&e 23. *he Last Lau#h

"eturn to D. L. Ashliman/s folktexts alibrary o, ,ol'tales ,ol'lore ,airy tales andmytholo#y.
http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/folktexts.htmlhttp://www.pitt.edu/~dash/folktexts.html


2/20

About Nasreddin HodjaNasreddin Hodja is *ur'ey/s 4and &erha&sall o, !slam/s5 best-'no n tri3'ster. Hisle#endary it and droll tri3'ery ere&ossibly based on the e6&loits and ordso, a histori3al imam. Nasreddin re&utedly

as born in 1207 in the illa#e o, Hortonear +i rihisar. !n 1289 he mo ed toA'sehir here he died in the !slami3 year:78 4127; or 127i# Nasreddin Hodscha,Wer den Duft des Essens verkauft:


3/20

Schw nke und !nekdoten dest"rkischen Eulens#ie$el 4"einbe' beiHambur#= "oh olt 1 775.

"eturn to the table o, 3ontents .

E eryone !s "i#htn3e hen Nasreddin Hodja as

ser in# as adi one o, his nei#hbors3ame to him ith a 3om&laint a#ainsta ,ello nei#hbor.

*he Hodja listened to the 3har#es 3are,ullythen 3on3luded @es dear nei#hbor youare uite ri#ht .

*hen the other nei#hbor 3ame to him. *heHodja listened to his de,ense 3are,ullythen 3on3luded @es dear nei#hbor youare uite ri#ht .

*he Hodja/s i,e ha in# listened in on theentire &ro3eedin# said to him Husbandboth men 3annot be ri#ht .

*he Hodja ans ered @es dear i,e youare uite ri#ht.


$alnuts and %um&'ins


4/20

Nasreddin Hodja as lyin# in the shade o,an an3ient alnut tree. His body as atrest but be,ittin# his 3allin# as an imamhis mind did not rela6. Loo'in# u& into themi#hty tree he 3onsidered the #reatnessand isdom o, Allah.

Allah is #reat and Allah is #ood said theHodja but as it indeed ise that su3h a#reat tree as this be 3reated to bear onlytiny alnuts as ,ruit ehold the stoutstem and stron# limbs. *hey 3ould easily3arry the &um&'ins that #ro ,rom s&indly

ines in yonder ,ield ines that 3annotbe#in to bear the ei#ht o, their o n ,ruit.+hould not alnuts #ro on ea'ly inesand &um&'ins on sturdy trees

+o thin'in# the Hodja dosed o,, only tobe a a'ened by a alnut that ,ell ,rom thetree stri'in# him on his ,orehead.

Allah be &raised he e63laimed seein#hat had ha&&ened. !, the orld hadbeen 3reated a33ordin# to my mea#er

isdom it ould ha e been a &um&'inthat ,ell ,rom the tree and hit me on thehead. !t ould ha e 'illed me ,or sureAllah is #reat Allah is #ood Allah is ise

Ne er a#ain did Nasreddin Hodja uestionthe isdom o, Allah.


(aith )o es )ountains


5/20

*he Hodja as boastin# about the &o er o, his ,aith.

!, your ,aith is so stron# then &ray ,or

that mountain to 3ome to you said as'e&ti3 &ointin# to a mountain in thedistan3e.

*he Hodja &rayed ,er ently but themountain did not mo e. He &rayed morebut the mountain remained unmo ed.

(inally the Hodja #ot u& ,rom his 'nees

and be#an al'in# to ard the mountain. !am a humble man he said and the ,aitho, !slam is a &ra3ti3al one. !, the mountain

ill not 3ome to the Hodja then the Hodjaill #o to the mountain.


*he +mell o, +ou& and the+ound o, )oney

A be##ar as #i en a &ie3e o, bread butnothin# to &ut on it. Ho&in# to #etsomethin# to #o ith his bread he ent toa nearby inn and as'ed ,or a handout. *heinn'ee&er turned him a ay ith nothin#but the be##ar snea'ed into the 'it3hen

here he sa a lar#e &ot o, sou& 3oo'in#o er the ,ire. He held his &ie3e o, breado er the steamin# &ot ho&in# to thus3a&ture a bit o, ,la or ,rom the #ood-smellin# a&or.


6/20

+uddenly the inn'ee&er sei>ed him by thearm and a33used him o, stealin# sou&.

! too' no sou& said the be##ar. ! as

only smellin# the a&or.*hen you must &ay ,or the smell

ans ered the inn'ee&er.

*he &oor be##ar had no money so thean#ry inn'ee&er dra##ed him be,ore the

adi.

No Nasreddin Hodja as at that timeser in# as adi and he heard theinn'ee&er/s 3om&laint and the be##ar/se6&lanation.

+o you demand &ayment ,or the smell o,your sou& summari>ed the Hodja a,terthe hearin#.

@es insisted the inn'ee&er.*hen ! mysel, ill &ay you said the

Hodja and ! ill &ay ,or the smell o, yoursou& ith the sound o, money.

*hus sayin# the Hodja dre t o 3oins,rom his &o3'et ran# them to#etherloudly &ut them ba3' into his &o3'et andsent the be##ar and the inn'ee&er ea3h onhis o n ay.

Aarne-*hom&son ty&e 170; ."eturn to the table o, 3ontents .

*he Debt


7/20

Nasreddin as strollin# throu#h themar'et&la3e hen a sho&'ee&er a33ostedhim beratin# the Hodja loudly ,or his,ailure to &ay a debt.

)y dear ,riend ans ered the Hodjajust ho mu3h do ! o e you

+e enty-,i e &iasters shouted the an#rysho&'ee&er.

No no re&lied the Hodja. @ou must'no that ! intend to &ay you thirty-,i e

&iasters tomorro and ne6t monthanother thirty-,i e. *hat means that ! o eyou only ,i e &iasters. Are you notashamed o, yoursel, ,or a33ostin# me soloudly in &ubli3 ,or a debt o, only ,i e&iasters



8/20

*he +la&Nasreddin Hodja as standin# in themar'et&la3e hen a stran#er ste&&ed u&to him and sla&&ed him in the ,a3e butthen said ! be# your &ardon. ! thou#htthat you ere someone else.

*his e6&lanation did not satis,y the Hodjaso he brou#ht the stran#er be,ore the adiand demanded 3om&ensation.

*he Hodja soon &er3ei ed that the adiand the de,endant ere ,riends. *he latteradmitted his #uilt and the jud#e&ronoun3ed the senten3e= *he settlement,or this o,,ense is one &iaster to be &aid tothe &lainti,,. !, you do not ha e a &iaster

ith you then you may brin# it here to the&lainti,, at your 3on enien3e.

Hearin# this senten3e the de,endant enton his ay. *he Hodja aited ,or him toreturn ith the &iaster. And he aited. Andhe aited.

+ome time later the Hodja said to the adiDo ! understand 3orre3tly that one &iaster

is su,,i3ient &ayment ,or a sla&

@es ans ered the adi.Hearin# this ans er the Hodja sla&&ed the

jud#e in the ,a3e and said @ou may 'ee&my &iaster hen the de,endant returns

ith it then al'ed a ay.



9/20

*he ur aNasreddin Hodja/s ,irst marria#e as anarran#ed marria#e and in 'ee&in# ith the3ustom o, the time he did not see hisun eiled bride until the eddin# 3eremony.Fn,ortunately she did not ha e anattra3ti e ,a3e.

*he ne6t day hen the bride as ma'in#&re&arations to #o to mar'et she as'edher husband as as the 3ustom +hall !

ear my bur a ! do not ish to sho my,a3e to anyone a#ainst your ishes.

Nasreddin ans ered $ear your bur a orlea e it at home. !t is all the same to meto hom you sho your ,a3e in &ubli3. All !as' is that you 'ee& your ,a3e 3o ered

hen you are at home ith me.


*he $i,e/s NameNasreddin Hodja and a ,riend eredis3ussin# their i es hen it o33urred tothe ,riend that Nasreddin had ne ermentioned his i,e/s name.

$hat is your i,e/s name he as'ed.

! do not 'no her name admitted theHodja.

$hat as'ed the ,riend in disbelie,. Holon# ha e you been married


10/20

* enty years ans ered the Hodja thenadded At ,irst ! did not thin' that themarria#e ould last so ! did not ta'e thee,,ort to learn my bride/s name.


*he lder $i,e

Nasreddin Hodja had t o i es one mu3holder than the other.

$hi3h o, us do you lo e the most as'edthe older i,e one day.

! lo e you both the same ans eredNasreddin isely.

Not satis,ied ith this ans er the olderi,e 3ontinued !, the t o o, us i es ,ellout o, a boat hi3h one o, us ould youres3ue ,irst

$ell re&lied Nasreddin you 3an s im alittle 3an/t you


*he (a orite $i,eNasreddin Hodja/s t o i es ere3onstantly as'in# him hi3h one o, them

as his ,a orite.


11/20

! lo e you both the same as al ays hisans er but they did not a33e&t thisans er and as'ed him re&eatedly $hi3hone o, us do you lo e the most

(inally he se3retly #a e ea3h o, them ablue bead &ri ately instru3tin# ea3h

oman that she should tell no one o, the#i,t.

A,ter that hene er either o, the i esould as' him $hi3h one o, us is your

,a orite i,e he ould ans er ! lo ebest the one to hom ! #a e the bluebead and ea3h as satis,ied.


*he Contrary )other-in-LaA nei#hbor 3ame runnin# to Nasreddin/shouse ith the ne s that the Hodja/smother-in-la had been ashin# herlaundry in the ri er hen she ,ell into the

ater and dro ned. And e 3annot ,indher body he 3ontinued. $e sear3hede ery here do nstream ,or her but all tono a ail.

@ou should ha e sear3hed u&streamre&lied the Hodja. )y mother-in-la is so3ontrary that she ould ne er #o ith the,lo .

Aarne-*hom&son ty&e 18:


12/20

Eat )y Coat Eat*he Hodja as in ited to a ban uet. Not

antin# to be &retentious he ore hise eryday 3lothes only to dis3o er thate eryone i#nored him in3ludin# the host.+o he ent ba3' home and &ut on his,an3iest 3oat and then returned to theban uet. No he as #reeted 3ordially bye eryone and in ited to sit do n and eatand drin'.

$hen the sou& as ser ed to him hedun'ed the slee e o, his 3oat into the bo land said Eat my 3oat eat

*he startled host as'ed the Hodja toe6&lain his stran#e beha ior.

$hen ! arri ed here earin# my other3lothes e6&lained the Hodja no oneo,,ered me anythin# to eat or drin'. ut

hen ! returned earin# this ,ine 3oat !as immediately o,,ered the best o,

e erythin# so ! 3an only assume that itas the 3oat and not mysel, ho as

in ited to your ban uet.

Aarne-*hom&son ty&e 1


13/20


14/20

ut ho 3ould that ha e 3aused yourinjuries 3ontinued the nei#hbor.

! as earin# the robe hen she 'i3'ed it

do n the stairs e6&lained the Hodja.


"estorin# the )oonne ni#ht the Hodja loo'ed into his ell

and sa there the re,le3tion o, the ,ullmoon.

h no he e63laimed. *he moon has,allen ,rom the s'y and into my ell

He ran into his house and returned ith a

hoo' atta3hed to a ro&e. He then thre thehoo' into the ater and 3ommen3ed to&ull it u& a#ain but it be3ame stu3' on theside o, the ell. (ranti3ally the Hodjatu##ed and &ulled ith all his mi#ht. *hehoo' suddenly 3ame loose and the Hodja,ell o er ba3' ards landin# ,lat on hisba3'. +3ar3ely able to mo e he loo'ed u&into the s'y and sa the ,ull moon abo ehim.

! may ha e injured mysel, in doin# so hesaid ith satis,a3tion but at least ! #otthe moon ba3' into the s'y here itbelon#s.

Aarne-*hom&son ty&e 188


15/20

(lour on the ClotheslineA nei#hbor 3ame to the Hodja/s door andas'ed to borro a 3lothesline.

Let me as' my i,e re&lied the Hodjadisa&&earin# inside.

He returned a short time later ith theans er ! am sorry dear ,riend but e3annot lend you our 3lothesline ,or eha e s&rin'led ,lour on it.

$hen ould a &erson e er s&rin'le ,louron a 3lothesline as'ed the nei#hbor indisbelie,.

$hen someone else anted to borro itas the Hodja/s ans er.


*he + uea'y +hoe

A #uest o, the Hodja/s bro'e ind but hehid its sound by rubbin# his shoe a3rossthe ,loor at the same time.

@ou did ell by 3o erin# u& that soundith your s uea'y shoe said Nasreddin.

ut un,ortunately you did not hide thesmell.


16/20

Lin' to related ,ol'tales= rea'in#$ind= Le#endary (arts .


*he Lost +hoe!n &re&aration ,or &rayers the Hodja&er,ormed his ablution in a s i,tly runnin#broo'. Gust as he as ,inishin# the3eremonial ashin# the stream 3arrieda ay one o, his shoes that had been onthe ban' near the ater.

An#ry at the loss o, his shoe the Hodjabro'e ind o er the ater sayin# roo'you 3an ha e ba3' your ablution No #i eme ba3' my shoe

Note= A33ordin# to !slami3 traditionbrea'in# ind in alidates a 3eremonialablution.

Lin' to related ,ol'tales= rea'in#$ind= Le#endary (arts .


Allah/s HouseA be##ar 'no3'ed on the Hodja/s door andsaid Allah has dire3ted me to this house,or a #ood meal.

! am sorry but you ha e the ron#house re&lied the Hodja. *hen &ointin# to
http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/fart.htmlhttp://www.pitt.edu/~dash/fart.htmlhttp://www.pitt.edu/~dash/fart.htmlhttp://www.pitt.edu/~dash/fart.htmlhttp://www.pitt.edu/~dash/fart.htmlhttp://www.pitt.edu/~dash/fart.htmlhttp://www.pitt.edu/~dash/fart.htmlhttp://www.pitt.edu/~dash/fart.html


17/20

a nearby mos ue he 3ontinued Allahli es o er there.


*he Cauldron *hat DiedNasreddin Hodja ha in# need ,or a lar#e3oo'in# 3ontainer borro ed his nei#hbor/s3o&&er 3auldron then returned it in atimely manner.

$hat is this as'ed his nei#hbor u&one6aminin# the returned 3auldron. *here isa small &ot inside my 3auldron.

h res&onded the Hodja. $hile it asin my 3are your 3auldron #a e birth to alittle one. e3ause you are the o ner o,the mother 3auldron it is only ri#ht thatyou should 'ee& its baby. And in anye ent it ould not be ri#ht to se&arate the3hild ,rom its mother at su3h a youn# a#e.

*he nei#hbor thin'in# that the Hodja had#one uite mad did not ar#ue. $hate erhad 3aused the 3ra>y man to 3ome u& iththis e6&lanation the nei#hbor had a ni3elittle &ot and it had 3ost him nothin#.

+ome time later the Hodja as'ed to borrothe 3auldron a#ain.

$hy not thou#ht the nei#hbor tohimsel,. %erha&s there ill be anotherlittle &ot inside hen he returns it.


18/20

ut this time the Hodja did not return the3auldron. A,ter many days had &assed thenei#hbor ent to the Hodja and as'ed ,orthe return o, the borro ed 3auldron.

)y dear ,riend re&lied the Hodja. ! ha ebad ne s. @our 3auldron has died and isno in her #ra e.

$hat are you sayin# shouted thenei#hbor. A 3auldron does not li e and it3annot die. "eturn it to me at on3e

ne moment ans ered the Hodja. *hisis the same 3auldron that but a short timea#o #a e birth to a 3hild a 3hild that is stillin your &ossession. !, a 3auldron 3an #i ebirth to a 3hild then it also 3an die.

And the nei#hbor ne er a#ain sa his3auldron.

Aarne-*hom&son ty&e 1< 2 .Lin' to additional tales o, ty&e 1< 2 =

*he %ot *hat Died."eturn to the table o, 3ontents .

*he "e3i&e*he Hodja &ur3hased a &ie3e o, meat atthe mar'et and on his ay home he met a,riend.

+eein# the Hodja/s &ur3hase the ,riendtold him an e63ellent re3i&e ,or ste .

!/ll ,or#et it ,or sure said the Hodja.$rite it on a &ie3e o, &a&er ,or me.
http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/type1592b.htmlhttp://www.pitt.edu/~dash/type1592b.html


19/20

*he ,riend obli#ed him and the Hodja3ontinued on his ay the &ie3e o, meat inone hand and the re3i&e in the other. Hehad not al'ed ,ar hen suddenly a lar#eha ' s oo&ed do n ,rom the s'ysnat3hed the meat and ,le a ay ith it.

!t ill do you no #ood shouted the Hodjaa,ter the disa&&earin# ha '. ! still ha ethe re3i&e


*he Last Lau#hNasreddin Hodja had #ro n old and asnear death. His t o #rie in# i es'no in# that his end as near eredressed in mournin# robes and eils.

$hat is this he said seein# theirsorro ,ul a&&earan3e. %ut aside your

eils. $ash your ,a3es. Comb your hair.)a'e yoursel es beauti,ul. %ut on yourmost ,esti e a&&arel.

Ho 3ould e do that as'ed the older o, his i es ith our dear husband on hisdeathbed

$ith a ry smile he re&lied s&ea'in# moreto himsel, than to them %erha&s henthe An#el o, Death ma'es his entry he illsee the t o o, you all de3'ed out li'eyoun# brides and ill ta'e one o, youinstead o, me.


20/20

$ith these ,inal ords he lau#hed uietlyto himsel, ha&&ily 3losed his eyes anddied.


"eturn to D. L. Ashliman/s folktexts alibrary o, ,ol'tales ,ol'lore ,airy tales andmytholo#y.

"e ised Ganuary 28 2002.
http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/folktexts.htmlhttp://www.pitt.edu/~dash/folktexts.html

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