A Mullah Nasruddin story
Mullah Nasruddin ordered a new shirt from Hussein the tailor, and when it was ready, he went to the tailor’s shop to pick it up.
After Nasruddin paid for the shirt, he decided to shop for some new pants. He chose a nice pair of baggy pants and tried them on, and the two bargained and agreed on a price.
Not even a minute later, Nasruddin changed his mind, took off the pants, and returned them to Hussein. Then, he picked out a cloak and asked how much it cost. Hussein informed him it was the same price as the pants.
He picked up his shirt and the cloak, gave Hussein his warmest thanks, and began to leave. Hussein stopped him saying, “But Nasruddin! You have not paid me for that cloak.”
“Nonsense, Hussein, my friend. I paid you for the shirt, and left you the pants,” the Mullah explained patiently, “which you told me would cost exactly the same as the cloak.”
“Yes, but you didn’t buy the pants.”
“Of course I didn’t pay you for the pants,” Nasruddin rebuffed. “Why would you expect me to pay for something I didn’t buy in the first place?”
retold by Ron J. Suresha
Favorite Stories of Mullah Nasruddin
Best-loved tales of the famous funny folk hero
An endearing collection of the most beloved Mullah Nasruddin folk tales and jokes for the entire family to enjoy.
Available everywhere in a variety of print and digital formats on these platforms, from Bear Bones Books.
Favorite Stories of Mullah Nasruddin ~ Softcover
Favorite Stories of Mullah Nasruddin ~ Hardcover
Favorite Stories of Mullah Nasruddin ~ Kindle
A stupid beard
A Mullah Nasruddin story
A Stupid Beard
One day the imam told Nasruddin, “Anyone who wears a beard longer than his fist is stupid.”
When the Mullah returned home, he checked himself in the mirror and realized that his beard was quite a bit longer than his fist. He took a lit candle and was intending to burn off only an inch or so of the offending hairs — just the part that was hanging below his fist.
Whoosh! In a flash, the beard went up in flames and he could not put it out before he singed his entire face. Now Nasruddin’s face looked like the underside of a plucked and roasted chicken.
The next day, Nasruddin went to see the imam and said, “What you told me yesterday was completely correct. A man with a long beard possesses short wisdom.”
“Idiot! I meant you should use a pair of scissors or a razor. Why in Allah’s name did you burn off your beard?”
“Well, I didn’t have either of those things, but I had some fire on hand. I admit that I lost my beard and burned my chin from ear to ear, but at least now I am free of being stupid.”
Excerpted from the forthcoming Extraordinary Adventures of Mullah Nasruddin, by Ron J. Suresha
If beards could think, they probably would decide not to set themselves on fire.