The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Turkish Jester, by Nasreddin Hoca,
Translated by George Borrow

This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or
re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net

Title: The Turkish Jester
or, The Pleasantries of Cogia Nasr Eddin Effendi

Author: Nasreddin Hoca

Release Date: July 8, 2005 [eBook #16244]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII)

***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE TURKISH JESTER***

Transcribed from the 1924 Norwich edition, Vol. 16, Miscellanies, by
David Price, email ccx074@coventry.ac.uk

[Original cover page: cover.jpg]

THE TURKISH JESTER;
OR,
THE PLEASANTRIES
OF
COGIA NASR EDDIN EFENDI.

TRANSLATED FROM THE TURKISH
BY
GEORGE BORROW.

IPSWICH:
W. WEBBER, DIAL LANE,
1884.

THE PLEASANTRIES OF COGIA NASR EDDIN EFENDI

'A breeze, which pleasant stories bears,
Relicks of long departed years.'

The story goes, one of the stories of a hundred, that Cogia Nasr Eddin
Efendi one day ascending into the pulpit to preach, said, 'O believers,
do ye not know what I am going to say to you?' The congregation
answered, 'Dear Cogia Efendi, we do not know.' Then said the Cogia,
'What shall I say to you until you do know?' One day the Cogia ascending
again into the pulpit, said, 'O Mussulmen, do ye not know what I am going
to say to you?' 'We do know,' they replied. Then said the Cogia, 'Some
of ye do know already, what should I have to say to you?' Then
descending from the chair he went out. The assembly separated quite
astonished, and, when they were out, continued to say, 'Which are those
of us who know? Which are those who do not know?' The Cogia one day
again mounting the chair in the same manner, said, 'O brothers, when I
said to ye, "Do you know what I shall say?" there were some who said, "We
know," others said, "We do not." It were now well that those among ye
who knew what the Cogia said should teach those that did not.'

One day Cogia Nasr Eddin Efendi said, 'O Mussulmen, give thanks to God
Most High that He did not give the camel wings; for, had He given them,
they would have perched upon your houses and chimneys, and have caused
them to tumble upon your heads.'

One day Cogia Nasr Eddin Efendi having