Nasruddin had broken into an apricot orchard and climbed a tree.
As he was stuffing his pockets with apricots, the owner of the orchard discovered him.
"What are you doing up in that tree?" the man shouted.
Nasruddin said nothing.
"I repeat: what are you doing up there?"
"Are you talking to me?" asked Nasruddin.
"Yes, you!"
"I'm just a nightingale," said Nasruddin. "This tree is my home."
"If you're a nightingale, sing!" said the man.
Nasruddin sang. He sang very badly.
"You don't sound like a nightingale!"
"I'm a young nightingale," said Nasruddin. "I'm still just learning to sing."
Inspired by: The Exploits of the Incomparable Mulla Nasrudin by Idries Shah, free to read online at the Idries Shah Foundation.
Notes: This is story 35 in the book. In other versions of this story, Nasruddin pretends to be a nightingale from an exotic country, which is why his song does not sound like the song of the local nightingales. In other versions, Nasruddin says the singing is so bad because the fruit is so sour.
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