The Sun or the Moon

There was an argument going on at the coffeehouse, as usual. This time, Nasruddin and his friends were arguing about the sun and the moon.
"Which do you think is more valuable," Nasruddin asked, "the sun, or the moon?"
"What a stupid question, Nasruddin!" they all shouted at him. "The sun is more valuable by far!"
Nasruddin shook his head. "I disagree."
"Are you saying the moon is more valuable than the sun? How can that be?" they asked.
"Isn't it obvious?" Nasruddin replied. "The moon is more valuable because we need the light more at night when it's dark."

---

Inspired by: Mulla's Donkey and Other Friends by Mehdi Nakosteen, p. 87.
Notes: This story also appears in The Sufis by Idries Shah, free to read online at the Idries Shah Foundation.

I included this book in Tiny Tales of Nasruddin, where it is story 31.