151 Mulla Nasruddin’s Tales

It was a cold winter’s day and Mulla Nasruddin was walking in the market wearing cotton clothes. Just then, a man in warm clothes called out, “Mulla, I am wearing so many warm clothes and still feel a little cold, whereas you are barely wearing anything yet seem unaffected by the weather?” “Well,” replied Mulla, […]

One day, Mulla Nasruddin heard a Fakir in the village square. The Fakir claimed, “I can teach any illiterate person to read through an ‘instant technique’.” Soon, a large crowd gathered around him and Mulla pushed his way to the centre as he was curious. “All right, teach me!” Mulla challenged the Fakir. Closing his

One day, Mulla Nasruddin’s friend came to his house. Mulla received him well and offered him a beverage. “Mulla,” the friend said, “I’m moving to another village. Can I have your ring? That way, I will remember you every time I look at it?” Mulla was taken aback at this. He did not want to

Mulla Nasruddin and his donkey were travelling continuously for days. When they reached a town, they stopped at a tea shop. Mulla was very hungry and wanted to eat some snacks and drink tea. But he did not have enough money for that. He saw a stranger in the tea shop. The stranger was dressed

The Amir had sleepless nights as Mulla Nasruddin was raising revolutionary thoughts in people against him and his ruthless officials. So, he called his officials and asked, “Who rules Bukhara–Mulla or me? He has caused a great loss to our treasury and position. Do you have any plan to catch and punish him?” “We have

The Amir was sleeping as usual while his court was in full swing in the marketplace. Then, Jafar came running and said, “Sir, Mulla Nasruddin is here in Bukhara. I have talked to him just now.” Hearing this, the Amir woke up and exclaimed, “But the Khalifa of Baghdad wrote that he had beheaded Mulla.

Mulla Nasruddin led his donkey into a tea-shop full of people. Then, he took out a religious book and placed it on a pillow, in front of the donkey. “You see; he is not an ordinary donkey. He has read this religious book; only a few chapters are left. When he wants me to turn

One day, Mulla Nasruddin was in the marketplace where the Amir’s court was being held. A hunchbacked money-lender, Jafar, said to the prime minister, pointing at an old man and his daughter, “This potter did not return the money I lent him.” The prime minister said, “Potter, you have one hour to arrange for Jafar’s

One morning, Mulla Nasruddin went to the marketplace. He noticed two men and a thin goat standing by the street. He asked, “What are you both doing here?” “When our father died two months ago, we sold the property and divided the money equally. But we don’t know how to divide this goat. So, we

Mulla Nasruddin ran out of a guest-house to save himself from the guards. But his donkey was nowhere to be seen. Actually in complete darkness, Mulla had tied his donkey to a pole where a big drum was hanging. When the donkey heard Mulla’s cries, he ran at a great speed, dragging the pole and

Mulla Nasruddin was sleeping in a guest-house when he overheard a man narrating, “Once a district officer sent his elephant to a village and ordered the villagers to take care of him. The elephant ate fifty bundles of grass, ten sacks of barley and ten sacks of corn. The crops in the village were barren

Once, a priest said to Mulla Nasruddin, “Son, carry this pumpkin sack to my house and I’ll give you three important religious teachings to lead a pious life.” Mulla agreed. When Mulla stopped to rest, the priest said, “If someone ever says that it’s better to walk than to ride an animal, never believe it.”

Mulla Nasruddin reached the main market of the city and noticed that it was filled with people doing their businesses. The next day was a market day and the traders from Iran, India, Egypt, Bahrain and Arab were coming in. As the air was cool, people were gathering around warm stoves to keep away the

One day, Mulla Nasruddin was passing by a lake when he saw a large crowd by the lakeside. He saw a man drowning in the lake and attempted to save him. Mulla went to the edge of the lake and shouted, “Take my hand and hold it tight.” Within seconds, Mulla pulled the man out.

Mulla Nasruddin had travelled quite far from the group of people he had helped near the ditch. However, he constantly thought of their sad and helpless faces. It made Mulla’s heart fill with disgust and rage. He got off his donkey and walked by his side, kicking stones as if it were Jafar, the money-lender.