One day, Mulla Nasruddin walked up to the palace, carrying a sack of potatoes. A man asked him, “Where are you going?” “I’m taking this gift of potatoes for the new ruler,” Mulla replied. The man said, “That’s not a suitable gift for a ruler. You should give him something better, like strawberries.” So, Mulla went home to get strawberries, and took them to the palace instead. However, the ruler was used to receiving much nicer gifts. In anger, he ordered his men to throw the strawberries at Mulla as punishment for giving such a meagre gift. As the strawberries hit him, Mulla began shouting, “Praise God!” Hearing Mulla make such a comment so out of its ordinary context, the ruler ordered his men to stop, and curiously asked, “We’re hitting you with the gifts you brought, and now you’re praising God?” Mulla replied, “I’m thanking God that I didn’t bring you potatoes.” The impressed ruler rewarded him.
Mulla’s Gift
