Mulla Nasruddin’s wife, Gulzan, was pestering him for a washing soap. “Your coat looks grey with grime. When you walk around wearing that, people think Mulla’s wife is a lazy woman. I must wash it for the sake of my honour,” she declared. Mulla bought a washing soap on credit. As Gulzan sat in her courtyard to wash Mulla’s coat, a crow flew away with the soap. Gulzan screamed in horror. Mulla and his neighbours rushed out and saw Gulzan pointing at the crow. As all heads turned towards the sky where a crow was flying with the soap, There was another crow hovering above it. Suddenly, Mulla broke into laughter. “That crow with the soap is the wife of the crow hovering above her. She needs that soap to save her honour. Look, her husband’s coat is blacker than my coat!” said Mulla. All the neighbours burst out laughing. Even Gulzan couldn’t help but giggle at Mulla’s joke.
A Soap to Save Honour
