Tiny Tales: Traditional Stories in 100 Words: Ramadan Readathon

Showing posts with label Ramadan Readathon. Show all posts

28. Old Water, New Water

Laura Gibbs · 28. Old Water, New Water

"Store water now," warned Khidr. "New water is coming that will drive you mad."

Only one man followed Khidr's advice.

The rivers, lakes, and oceans dried up. Then rains fell: rains of new water.

People drank the new water, and they lost their minds.

Meanwhile, the one man kept drinking the old water.

He knew everyone was mad, but they said he was mad. He remembered what had happened; they said he was imagining things.

Finally, he too drank the new water.

He also lost his mind, and he no longer remembered where he had stored the water of old.

Inspired by: Tales of the Dervishes by Idries Shah, free to read online at the Idries Shah Foundation.
Notes: This is on p. 10 in the book. Shah explains that this story is associated with Dhun-Nun al-Misri (the Egyptian). You can read more about Al-Khidr at Wikipedia also.

~ 179. What a Cat Can Teach ~

Laura Gibbs · 179. What a Cat Can Teach

There was a cat who had spent many years chasing and catching mice. She was truly an expert. Her technique was perfect, her skills remarkable.

This cat decided she would teach other animals how to catch mice. She invited one and all to come learn from her, and she didn't even charge them for lessons.

"But just look at all those rabbits!" grumbled the cat. "Fools, every last one of them."

"What do you mean?" asked another cat.

"Here I am, offering to teach anyone how to catch mice, but there's not a single rabbit who wants to learn how!"

Inspired by: The Magic Monastery by Idries Shah, free to read online at the Idries Shah Foundation.
Notes: This story is on p. 9 in the book.

~ 114. Buying an Elephant ~

Laura Gibbs · 114. Buying an Elephant

Nasruddin decided he was going to buy an elephant, and he knew it would be an expensive purchase. Since he didn't have enough money, he went to his richest friend to borrow the money.
His friend, however, refused to give him the loan. "You're not thinking clearly, Nasruddin," he said. "Elephants are expensive to buy, and they are also expensive to keep. If you don't have the money to buy an elephant, how will you be able to afford to house the elephant and feed it?"
"You don't understand," said Nasruddin angrily. "I came here for a loan, not advice."

Inspired by: The Pleasantries of the Incredible Mulla Nasrudin by Idries Shah, free to read online at the Idries Shah Foundation.
Notes: This story is on p. 1 of the book.

~ 148. Nasruddin and his Dog ~

Laura Gibbs · 148. Nasruddin and his Dog

The imam came to see Nasruddin and discovered there was a dog in Nasruddin's kitchen.
"What is this unclean beast doing in your kitchen?" he shouted.
"This is my watchdog," said Nasruddin. "He's also good at herding goats."
"You must drive this dog out of your house before God sends his avenging angels to punish you!"
"About those angels," said Nasruddin, "are they going to watch out for thieves and herd my goats?"
"Of course not!" exclaimed the imam. "That's not a job for God's angels."
"Well then," said Nasruddin, "I think I'm going to have to keep my dog."

Inspired by: The World of Nasrudin by Idries Shah, free to read online at the Idries Shah Foundation.
Notes: This is story #83 in the book. There are some Islamic traditions asserting that dogs are unclean and should not be kept in the house. There is a legend, for example, that the barking of a puppy in Mohammad's house prevented the angel Gabriel from coming to give Mohammad a message (more about this legend).

~ 158. Nasruddin Commands the Tree ~

Laura Gibbs · 158. Nasruddin Commands the Tree

"I'm actually a saint," Nasruddin told his neighbor. "And as a saint, I have supernatural powers."
"Prove it!" said his neighbor. "If you have supernatural powers, command that tree over there to come here and bow down to you."
"O Tree," shouted Nasruddin, "come here and bow down to me!"
The tree did not move.
Nasruddin waited a moment, and then he walked over to the tree and bowed down before it.
"What are you doing?" asked his neighbor.
"Saints like me are also very modest," Nasruddin explained. "If the tree won't come to me, I'll go to the tree."

Inspired by: The Best Anecdotes of Nasreddin Hoca by Kemal Yorenc
Notes: This story is on p. 42 of the book. There is a version with a "mountain" instead of a tree in The Wit and Wisdom of Nasraddin Hodja by Nejat Muallimoglu.

I suspect that this Nasruddin story, or something like it, is behind the famous English saying, first recorded in a work of Francis Bacon in 1625 (Of Boldness): "Mahomet cald the Hill to come to him. And when the Hill stood still, he was neuer a whit abashed, but said; If the Hill will not come to Mahomet, Mahomet wil go to the hil." The use of mountain appears in John Owen in 1643 (Of the state of Adam): "If the mountaine will not come to Mahomet, Mahomet will goe to the mountaine."

~ 165. Nasruddin and the Butterfly ~

Laura Gibbs · 165. Nasruddin and the Butterfly

Nasruddin was obsessed with butterflies. Whenever he saw a butterfly, he would stop whatever he was doing and watch the butterfly. He would get up and follow the butterfly, going wherever the butterfly would go until finally it would flutter away.
"I must learn what a butterfly truly is!" Nasruddin declared, so he got a net and caught a butterfly.
Then he took the butterfly and carefully removed its wings.
Next he removed the two antennae, and then the legs, and also the head.
"I can see all the butterfly's parts now," said Nasruddin. "But where did the butterfly go?"

Inspired by: The World of the Sufi edited by Idries Shah, free to read online at the Idries Shah Foundation.
Notes: This is on p. 4 in the book. This is not a Nasruddin story in the book, just an anecdote about a "boy," but I made it a Nasruddin story. Shah calls this "pai-magas," "fly-leg," a form of absurd specialization.

~ 168. Nasruddin's Sermon ~

Laura Gibbs · 168. Nasruddin's Sermon

Nasruddin was preaching in a village for the first time.
"Do you know what I'm going to say?" Nasruddin asked.
"No!" the people shouted.
"How can I preach to people so ignorant?" he said and left.
They begged him to come back.
"Do you know what I'm going to say?" he asked again.
"Yes!" they shouted.
"Good! We can all leave."
But they asked him to try one more time.
"Do you know what I'm going to say?" he asked.
"Yes!" shouted some. "No!" shouted others.
"So let those who know teach those who don't!"
That was Nasruddin's last sermon.

Inspired by: The Turkish Jester, translated by George Borrow
Notes: This is story #1 in the book.

Tamerlane and the Pilaf

Emperor Tamerlane was eating lamb pilaf. "This is delicious!" he shouted. "Isn't this delicious, Nasruddin?"
"It's delicious," agreed Nasruddin.
The emperor had another serving, and another, and another. The pilaf sat heavily on the emperor's stomach.
"This pilaf is too oily and too salty," complained the emperor. "Nasruddin, isn't this terrible?"
"It's terrible," agreed Nasruddin.
"But you said it was delicious!" protested Tamerlane. "Can't you form an opinion of your own?"
"O Great One," replied Nasruddin, "if even one as mighty as yourself changes your opinion, how can someone lowly as myself hope to have an opinion of my own?"

Inspired by: The World of Nasrudin by Idries Shah, free to read online at the Idries Shah Foundation.
Notes: This is story #172 in the book. You can read more about Turkish pilaf (pilau) at Wikipedia. Compare a similar dining conversation: The King and the Eggplants.

The Miracle of the Spider Web

As Mohammad and Abu Bakr fled from Mecca to Medina, they came to a cave.
"We can hide here," said Mohammad.
"I'm not sure," replied Abu Bakr. "This looks dangerous."
"Do you think we are just two?" Mohammad smiled at his companion. "There is a Third who protects us."
So they hid in the cave.
Soon after, their pursuers reached the cave; they could hear the soldiers arguing at the cave's entrance.
"Maybe they're here!"
"Wait! Look at this spiderweb covering the entrance. No one has entered here."
So they rode on; this was the miracle of the spider's web.

Inspired by: Caravan of Dreams by Idries Shah, free to read online at the Idries Shah Foundation.
Notes: This is on p. 14 in the book. You can find out more about Mohammad and Abu Bakr at Wikipedia. In the Christian tradition, a similar story is told about Saint Felix saved by a spider.

Abraham and the Sheep

For the #RamadanReadathon at Twitter, I want to highlight some story collections that people might enjoy reading, featuring free full-text books online; here are all the books I've featured so far, including a 100-word story for each one too.

So, today's book is Tales Told in Palestine by J. E. Hanauer. See details below, and here is a story from that collection:

Abraham and the Sheep

Abraham was on the run from Nimrod. He asked a flock of goats to hide him, but they refused. Then Abraham saw a flock of sheep.
"Will you hide me?" he shouted.
"Yes!" said the sheep.
Abraham lay down on the ground and the sheep crowded all around. When Nimrod's soldiers arrived, they did not see him and so they continued on.
"Blessings upon you, sheep!" said Abraham, and Allah blessed the sheep with fat tails that hide their privates. Meanwhile, Allah cursed the goats so that they have short tails that stand up all the time exposing their shame.

(fat-tailed sheep)

You can find a longer version of that story, and many other stories besides, in the online book, which is available at the Internet Archive, Hathi Trust, and Google Books.

The Brave Mother-Parrot

For the #RamadanReadathon at Twitter, I want to highlight some story collections that people might enjoy reading, featuring free full-text books online; here are all the books I've featured so far, including a 100-word story for each one too.

So, today's book is The Tooti Nameh or Tales of a Parrot, by Ziya'al-Din Nakhshabi; the name of the translator is not given. See details below, and here is a story from that collection:

The Brave Mother-Parrot

A hunter cast his net over a parrot's nest.
"Play dead," said the parrot-mother. The chicks obeyed, and when the hunter cast them aside, they all flew away.
Enraged, he was going to kill the mother-bird when she said, "Don't kill me! I'm a skilled physician."
Impressed, the hunter took the parrot to the country's ailing king who paid him a fortune.
The parrot prescribed medicine for the king, and his health improved.
"Let me out of the cage and I'll finish the cure," said the parrot, and when the king opened the cage, she flew back to her chicks.

You can find a longer version of that story, and many other stories besides, in the online book, which is available at the Internet Archive, Hathi Books, and Google Books.

King Solomon's Ring

For the #RamadanReadathon at Twitter, I want to highlight some story collections that people might enjoy reading, featuring free full-text books online; here are all the books I've featured so far, including a 100-word story for each one too.

So, today's book is Ottoman Wonder Tales by Lucy M. Garnett. See details below, and here is a story from that collection:

King Solomon's Ring

The Djinn Ashmedai tempted King Solomon. "Give me your ring, and I'll make you ruler of the world." Solomon gave him the ring.
"Fool!" shouted Ashmedai; he then hurled Solomon onto a distant mountain, and hurled the ring into a distant sea. Next, Ashmedai transformed into Solomon's double and ruled in his stead.
Solomon wandered in poverty; no one believed he was king. He finally reached the sea. A fisherman pitied the beggar and gave him a fish. Inside the fish was the ring!
Solomon returned to Jerusalem and with the ring's power exposed Ashmedai and reclaimed his throne.

You can find a longer version of that story, and many other stories besides, in the online book, which is available at Internet Archive and Hathi Trust.

King Solomon and the Sparrow

For the #RamadanReadathon at Twitter, I want to highlight some story collections that people might enjoy reading, featuring free full-text books online; here are all the books I've featured so far, including a 100-word story for each one too.

So, today's book is The History of the Forty Vezirs translated from the Turkish by E. J. W. Gibb. See details below, and here is a story from that collection:

King Solomon and the Sparrow

"Where is my charming little Sparrow?" asked King Solomon. "Simurgh, go to Sparrow's house and bring him here."
Meanwhile, Sparrow was boasting to his wife. "I come and I go as I please," he chirped. "No one is the boss of me!"
At that moment Simurgh arrived. "King Solomon summons you to court, Sparrow!"
But the little bird just scoffed. "Begone, Simurgh, or I will kick you! I'll kick Solomon's palace and it will fall to the ground!"
Simurgh flew back to Solomon and reported Sparrow's words.
Solomon smiled. "Even little Sparrow likes to impress his wife with mighty words."

You can find a longer version of that story, and many other stories besides, in the online book, which is available at Internet Archive, Hathi Trust, and Google Books. Plus you can find out more about the mythical bird named Simurgh at Wikipedia. Here is a 16th-century illustration for the Shahnama showing the Simurgh

The Story of the Wolf-Bride

For the #RamadanReadathon at Twitter, I want to highlight some story collections that people might enjoy reading, featuring free full-text books online; here are all the books I've featured so far, including a 100-word story for each one too.

So, today's book is Persian Tales translated by D.L.R. Lorimer and E.O. Lorimer. See details below, and here is a story from that collection:

The Story of the Wolf-Bride

"A wolf will tear this baby to pieces," said the fortune-teller, so the boy's parents kept him hidden in an underground chamber.
When the time came for him to marry, his parents found him a bride. They celebrated the wedding, and then they led the bride underground.
After they closed the door, the bride became a wolf and devoured the boy.
She then turned back into a woman, and the parents found her there in the morning.
"I became a wolf," she said. "I don't know why."
The mother wept, and the father said, "What fate wills, we cannot escape."

You can find a longer version of that story, and many other stories besides, in the online book, which is available at Internet Archive, Hathi Books, and Google Books.

The Language of Birds

For the #RamadanReadathon at Twitter, I want to highlight some story collections, like the Nasruddin books I wrote about last time, that people might enjoy reading, featuring free full-text books online. I'll also choose out one story to tell as a 100-word story too.

So, today's book is Told in the Coffee House: Turkish Tales by Cyrus Adler and Allan Ramsay, which is also available as an audiobook. See details below, and here is a story from that collection:

The Language of Birds

A young man begged a wise man to teach him the language of birds.
Thus he learned his horse would die, so he sold the horse.
Then he learned his house would catch fire, so he sold the house.
Then he learned that he was going to die.
The young man ran to the wise man for help. "What shall I do?" he begged.
"You shouldn't have listened to the birds," the wise man replied. "If you endured the loss of your horse, your house wouldn't have burned, and you wouldn't be about to die. It's better not to know."

You can find a longer version of that story, and many other stories besides, in the online book, which is available at Project Gutenberg, Internet Archive, Hathi Trust, and Google Books. You can get a free Kindle ebook from Amazon, and there's a free audiobook from LibriVox.

Ramadan Readathon 2020: Mulla Nasruddin

I'll be focusing on Islamic parables and tales for the Ramadan Readathon coming up this year on April 23 - May 23. You can follow along at Twitter with the hashtag: #RamadanReadathon.

I'm already using the label Islam for stories at this blog, and the stories fall into two basic categories: the stories of Nasruddin (a personal obsession of mine) and stories from Sufi teachers (another long-standing interest). I hope to add many more stories to both of those categories for the Ramadan Readathon.

I also want to write up some blog posts with information about free full-text books online that I'm using, and I'll start with the treasure-trove of Nasruddin stories available online: thanks to the Idries Shah Foundation, all of Idries Shah's Nasruddin books are available as free full-text books online, along with many other books by Shah besides.

Here are Shah's Nasruddin books: The Subtleties of the Inimitable Mulla Nasrudin, The Exploits of the Incomparable Mulla Nasrudin, The Pleasantries of the Incredible Mulla Nasrudin, plus The World of Nasrudin.

If you prefer audio, check out the Idries Shah Foundation at YouTube where they have podcasts and audio versions of many books as well.

So, if you are interested in participating in the Ramadan Readathon, I can highly recommend these books along with other books that you will find by Shah at that website: Sufi Studies and Middle Eastern Literature.

... plus many more.