Tiny Tales: Traditional Stories in 100 Words: duplicate1

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~ 4. Why Nasruddin Rides Backwards ~

Laura Gibbs · 4. Why Nasruddin Rides Backwards

Nasruddin was riding his donkey to the school while his pupils walked behind him. Nasruddin sat backwards, facing the children.
"You look funny riding backwards!" they said.
"If I faced forward, I'd have my back to you," Nasruddin explained, "which wouldn't be nice. If I faced forward and you walked in front, your backs would be towards me, which also wouldn't be nice. If you walked in front facing backwards to see me, you wouldn't see where you're going and you'd probably fall down. So, me riding backwards facing you, just like this," he concluded, "is really the best solution!"

Inspired by: The Wit and Wisdom of Nasraddin Hodja by Nejat Muallimoglu
Notes: This story is on p. 112 of the book. I added the part about how it would not work for the children to walk backwards in order to explore one other possibility. There are a total of eight possibilities, in fact, but there is not room in 100 words for Nasruddin to explain all eight!

The image of Nasruddin riding backwards on his donkey is iconic:

~ 6. Borrowing Nasruddin's Donkey ~

Laura Gibbs · 6. Borrowing Nasruddin's Donkey

A neighbor asked to borrow Nasruddin's donkey.
Nasruddin did not want to loan him the donkey, but he also did not want to appear to be ungenerous. So, he made up an excuse.
"I'm sorry, but I must say no," said Nasruddin. "The donkey is not here right now; I loaned him to my brother-in-law, and he still hasn't returned the donkey."
Then, at that very moment, the donkey let out a loud bray from inside the stable.
Before his neighbor could say anything, Nasruddin gave him a hard look. "Who are you going to believe: me, or the donkey?"

Inspired by: 202 Jokes of Nasreddin Hodja by Her Hakki Mahfuzdur
Notes: This is story 8 in the book. In some versions of this story, Nasruddin goes on to add that anyone who would take the word of a donkey is not worthy of any kind of loan. Compare a similar rooster story: The Rooster's Tail-Feathers.

(donkey)

~ 7. Nasruddin's Donkey Crosses the Stream ~

Laura Gibbs · 7. Nasruddin's Donkey Crosses the Stream

Nasruddin was returning home from the market, and his donkey was carrying bags of salt.
On the way, they had to cross a stream. The donkey slipped, and the salt dissolved in the water. When the donkey stood back up, he found his load was lighter, and he trotted happily home.
The next time they came from the market, the donkey was carrying bags of wool. He decided to stumble on purpose but, instead of dissolving, the wool absorbed the water and weighed even more than before.
"You can't expect to get lucky every time!" Nasruddin said to the donkey.

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 13 in the book. The same story is in Aesop's fables, although instead of wool, the donkey is carrying sponges the second time: The Donkey with the Load of Salt. This illustration is from an edition of La Fontaine's fables; La Fontaine tells it as a story of two donkeys, one carrying salt and one carrying sponges. The illustration is by Grandville:

~ 20. Biting Your Own Ear ~

Laura Gibbs · 20. Biting Your Own Ear

A wife dragged her husband into Nasruddin's courtroom.
"He bit my ear!" she shouted.
"You bit your own ear!" the husband shouted back at her.
"Impossible!" the wife replied. "Nobody can bite their own ear."
Nasruddin called for a recess and went into his chambers. He tried to bite his own ear, but only succeeded in falling down and bruising his forehead.
Nasruddin returned to the courtroom. "Check the wife: does she have bruises on her forehead?"
There were no bruises.
"I therefore conclude the wife did not bite her own ear," said Nasruddin. "The husband is guilty as charged."

Inspired by: Mulla's Donkey and Other Friends by Mehdi Nakosteen
Notes: This story is on p. 64 of the book.

~ 21. Nasruddin and the Case of the Cow ~

Laura Gibbs · 21. Nasruddin and the Case of the Cow

Nasruddin's neighbor came running up, shouting loudly. "There's been a terrible accident!" he said to Nasruddin.
"What happened?" asked Nasruddin, alarmed.
"Your ox got loose and gored my cow to death," the neighbor explained. "Someone will have to pay!"
"What do you mean?" replied Nasruddin. "Surely you can't hold me responsible for what my ox did to your cow."
"Oh," said the neighbor, "I apologize. I must have gotten my words mixed up! I meant to say that my ox got loose and gored your cow to death."
"Oh!" said Nasruddin. "That changes everything. Someone really will have to pay!"

Inspired by: The Funniest Tales of Mullah Nasruddin by Clifford Sawhney
Notes: This is story 3 in the book. This story later becomes part of the Aesopic tradition as well: The Partial Judge.

(country cart)

~ 28. Nasruddin Visits a Town for the First Time ~

Laura Gibbs · 28. Nasruddin Visits a Town for the First Time

Nasruddin was visiting a new town for the first time. He didn't know anybody in the town, and he wasn't sure what to do or where to go; it made him feel uneasy.
He decided to enter the first door he found open: a carpenter's shop.
"Hello!" said the carpenter.
"Hello!" replied Nasruddin. "Did you see me just now walk into your shop?"
"Yes," replied the carpenter, not sure what Nasruddin was getting at.
"And have you ever seen me before?" asked Nasruddin.
"No, I've never seen you before," admitted the carpenter.
"Then how did you know it was me?"

Inspired by: Mulla's Donkey and Other Friends by Mehdi Nakosteen
Notes: This story is on p. 82 of the book.

~ 31. The Sun or the Moon? ~

Laura Gibbs · 31. 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
Notes: This story is on p. 87 of the book.

~ 36. Nasruddin and the Stranger ~

Laura Gibbs · 36. Nasruddin and the Stranger

A stranger approached Nasruddin as he was standing at the crossroads.
"Which way to town?" the stranger asked.
Nasruddin pointed to the right.
"And how long will it take to get there?"
Nasruddin stared at the stranger intently and shrugged.
"I know you can hear me!" the stranger shouted. "How long will it take me to get to town?"
Nasruddin shrugged again, and the stranger stomped off angrily.
A minute later, Nasruddin shouted, "About half an hour."
The stranger turned and shouted back, "Why didn't you say so?"
"I had to see how quickly you were walking," Nasruddin replied, smiling.

Inspired by: Sacred Laughter of the Sufis by Imam Jamal Rahman
Notes: This story is on p. 8 of the book.

~ 37. Nasruddin in the Rose Garden ~

Laura Gibbs · 37. Nasruddin in the Rose Garden

As Nasruddin was walking home one day, he decided to take the long way through a rose garden instead of the usual road. The roses were all in bloom, and the scent was heavenly.
But as Nasruddin strolled through the garden, he slipped in the mud and crashed into some rose bushes. He was badly bruised and bleeding from where the thorns had scratched him, plus he was covered with mud.
Even so, Nasruddin was not distressed. "If misfortune can befall me in this lovely rose garden," he thought, "just imagine the disasters that awaited me on the open road!"

Inspired by: Mulla's Donkey and Other Friends by Mehdi Nakosteen
Notes: This story is on p. 40 of the book. In other versions of this story, Nasruddin wanders through the woods instead, but I like the idea of disaster befalling him in a rose garden as in this version of the story.

~ 42. Nasruddin the Optimist ~

Laura Gibbs · 42. Nasruddin the Optimist

Nasruddin's neighbor saw him kneeling by the side of the lake, spooning something into the water. He was used to Nasruddin behaving strangely, but this was unusual even for Nasruddin. He decided to go investigate and see what Nasruddin was doing.
As the neighbor got closer, he saw that Nasruddin was spooning yogurt into the lake.
"Why are you spooning yogurt into the lake?" asked the neighbor.
"It's starter!" Nasruddin explained. "I am hoping to turn the whole lake into yogurt."
"But that's impossible!" said his neighbor.
"Yes, it's impossible," admitted Nasruddin. "But just imagine how wonderful it would be!"

Inspired by: Nasreddin Hodja compiled by Alpay Kabacali.
Notes: This story is on p. 7 of the book.

~ 47. What the Quarrel Was About ~

Laura Gibbs · 47. What the Quarrel Was About

Nasruddin and his wife awoke to the sound of men quarreling outside. The shouting got louder and louder.
"I'll go see what they are quarreling about," said Nasruddin.
He then lit a lamp and went downstairs.
His wife heard him open the front door. Almost immediately, the shouting stopped. She wondered what Nasruddin had said to stop the quarrel so quickly.
"What happened?" she asked when he came back to bed.
"When I opened the door, one of them grabbed my lamp, and then they both ran off," Nasruddin replied. "I suppose they must have been quarreling about my lamp!"

Inspired by: 200+ Mullah Nasruddin Stories and Jokes by Rodney Ohebsion
Notes: This is story 61 in the book. In some versions, Nasruddin wraps himself up in his blanket or quilt and goes downstairs, and the men steal his blanket, leaving Nasruddin standing there naked.

(antique lamp)

~ 48. Nasruddin's Lost Key ~

Laura Gibbs · 48. Nasruddin's Lost Key

Nasruddin was walking around his yard, peering down at the ground and muttering to himself.
Nasruddin's wife came out and asked him, "Did you lose something?"
"I've lost my key," said Nasruddin.
"I'll help you look," said his wife.
Some time passed, and his wife was ready to give up. "Do you have any idea just where exactly you might have dropped it?" she asked.
"I dropped it somewhere in the basement," Nasruddin replied, not looking up.
"Then why are you looking for it out here?" she exclaimed.
"It's dark in the basement," Nasruddin said. "There's more light out here."

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 9 in the book. In some versions Nsaruddin has lost a ring or other small object, and his interlocutor is sometimes his neighbor, etc. This is one of the Sufi teaching stories that Idries Shah singles out for special consideration in his book The Sufis, which contains a long chapter about the use of Nasruddin stories for teaching purposes. Shah's book is available online here: Idries Shah Foundation. Compare the so-called streetlight effect; article at Wikipedia mentions Nasruddin! See also the Sufi story told of Rabia: Rabia's Needle.

(NeedPix)

~ 78. Jokes in the Coffeehouse ~

Laura Gibbs · 78. Jokes in the Coffeehouse

Nasruddin and his friends were sitting in the coffeehouse, and one of them decided to tell a joke. It was a very long joke, and the man told the joke very badly.
Everyone squirmed in their seats as they listened to his performance.
Finally, the joker reached the punchline, which he bungled.
No one laughed... except Nasruddin.
Later, one of Nasruddin's friends asked him, "Why did you laugh at that joke? It wasn't funny at all."
"You should always laugh at the joke," Nasruddin told him. "If you don't, there's a possibility that they might try to tell it again."

Inspired by: The Little Book of Sufi Parables by Nico Neruda
Notes: This is story 1 in the book. This belongs to the genre of "Nasruddin-in-the-coffee-house" stories.

~ 81. Nasruddin on the Roof ~

Laura Gibbs · 81. Nasruddin on the Roof

A man down on the ground was shouting to Nasruddin up on the roof. "Please, sir, come here!"
Nasruddin climbed down and asked the man what he wanted.
"I need money," the man explained.
"Why didn't you just say so?" said Nasruddin. "Instead, you made me climb down."
"I was embarrassed to shout it out loud," the man explained.
Nasruddin told the man to come up on the roof. Then, once they were both up on the roof, Nasruddin told the man he had nothing to give him.
"Why didn't you just say so?" the man asked.
Nasruddin just smiled.

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 53 in the book. Here is a longer version of the story in video format for English-language learners:

(photo by V. S. Rao)

~ 82. An Unexpected Visit from Nasruddin ~

Laura Gibbs · 82. An Unexpected Visit from Nasruddin

Nasruddin decided to pay his friend an unexpected visit.
From the upstairs window, the man could see Nasruddin coming. "It's Nasruddin!" he shouted to his wife. "Tell him I'm not home."
When Nasruddin knocked at the door, the man's wife answered. "My husband has gone out," she said apologetically. "He's not here right now."
Nasruddin looked up and saw the man in the upstairs window.
"Please tell him that I called," Nasruddin said. "And you might also let him know that when he goes out, he should take his head with him instead of hanging it there in the window."

Inspired by: The Best Anecdotes of Nasreddin Hoca by Kemal Yorenc
Notes: This story is on p. 24 of the book.

~ 87. Nasruddin and the Tall Tree ~

Laura Gibbs · 87. Nasruddin and the Tall Tree

The village boys wanted to trick Nasruddin and steal his new shoes.
"Look at this tall tree!" they shouted. "We're too small to climb it, but maybe you can."
Nasruddin looked at the tree, smiled and said, "That would be fun. I'll try!"
So, Nasruddin took off his new shoes. Next, he tucked the shoes inside his belt. Then he began climbing.
"Wait!" shouted the boys. "Why are you taking your shoes with you?"
"This tree is so tall that it might lead all the way to heaven," Nasruddin replied, "and I'll need my shoes to walk around up there."

Inspired by: The Wit and Wisdom of Nasraddin Hodja by Nejat Muallimoglu
Notes: This story is on p. 116 of the book. In other versions, Nasruddin simply warns the boys about the thieves, but I like the versions which have him talk about walking around up there in heaven.

~ 93. Nasruddin and the Sugar ~

Laura Gibbs · 93. Nasruddin and the Sugar

A mother brought her son to see Nasruddin. "My son eats too much sugar," she said. "Please make him stop!"
Nasruddin patted the boy on the head and said, "Come back in two weeks and we'll see what we can do."
The mother promised to return in two weeks.
At their next meeting, Nasruddin looked at the boy and said sternly, "You must stop eating sugar!"
"Why did we have to wait two weeks for you to say that?" asked the mother.
"I had to make myself stop eating sugar," replied Nasruddin, "before telling someone else to do the same."

Inspired by: Mulla's Donkey and Other Friends by Mehdi Nakosteen
Notes: This story is on p. 83 of the book.

~ 96. Frightening Nasruddin ~

Laura Gibbs · 96. Frightening Nasruddin

"Our son won't do his chores," said Nasruddin's wife. "You must frighten him to make him behave!"
Nasruddin jumped up and began to scream. He stuck out his tongue and shook his fists wildly. He then grabbed a knife.
At this, Nasruddin's wife started sobbing, and Nasruddin himself ran out of the room.
When he returned, his wife was still crying, and his son was hiding under a chair.
"Why did you run away?" she asked.
"I scared even myself," Nasruddin admitted. "Terror easily gets out of control. I meant to frighten our son, and instead I frightened us all."

Inspired by: Mulla's Donkey and Other Friends by Mehdi Nakosteen
Notes: This story is on p. 87 of the book. This is usually told about some woman and her son, but I made it about Nasruddin's son.

~ 98. Nasruddin Goes Upstairs ~

Laura Gibbs · 98. Nasruddin Goes Upstairs

Nasruddin had invited his friends to dinner. "They're coming right behind me," he said to his wife when he got home.
"But there's no food in the house!" she exclaimed.
"What will we do?" groaned Nasruddin.
"Go upstairs! I'll do the rest."
A moment later, Nasruddin's friends knocked at the door. "Your husband invited us for dinner!" they said.
"Alas, my husband has gone out," his wife told them. "I don't know when he'll be back."
"But we saw him come in!"
"I could have gone out the back!" Nasruddin shouted from upstairs. "You didn't think of that, did you?"

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 1 in the book. Nasruddin promising dinner to his friends is a recurring motif in his stories.

~ 100. Nasruddin's Clothesline ~

Laura Gibbs · 100. Nasruddin's Clothesline

A neighbor asked to borrow Nasruddin's clothesline.
"I'm afraid that's not possible," said Nasruddin. He tried to sound apologetic, but he really didn't want to loan anything to anyone. "I'm using the clothesline right now."
"But I didn't see any clothes drying outside. What are you using it for?"
"I'm using it to dry flour," Nasruddin explained. "I spilled some water and the flour got wet. The flour is still drying."
"You can't use a clothesline for drying flour!" exclaimed the neighbor. "That's impossible!"
"It's completely possible," Nasruddin replied calmly, "when your purpose is to avoid loaning out your clothesline."

Inspired by: The Uncommon Sense of the Immortal Mullah Nasruddin by Ron Suresha
Notes: This is story 67 in the book. The theme of Nasruddin not wanting to loan things to his neighbors is a recurring theme in the stories.