Nasreddin Hoca. Lessons from an amusing life

Each culture has some oral sources which are passed from generation to generation embodying and symbolizing the essence of the people. For the Turkish people, the stories and remarks of Nasreddin Hoca (pronounced hodja) occupy pride of place. The wit remains accessible and culturally familiar to this day and today's familiarises children with their folklore as a legendary figure. Nasreddin Hoca probably lived in the 13th century and was a versatile and daring person for his times, sometimes believing in the wisdom of God and sometimes reacting strongly against the injustice of the world God ordained. Here is a story revealing this dichotomy and his dry humour.

"One day four boys approached Hoca and gave him a bag full of walnuts and said, 'Hoca, we can't divide these walnuts among us evenly, so would you please help us?" Hoca asked "Do you want God's way of distribution or the mortal's way?", "God's way" the children answered. The Hoca opened the bag and gave two handful of walnuts to one child, one handful to the other, only two walnuts to the third one and none to the fourth. "What kind of distribution is this?" the children asked baffled. "Well, this is God's way, he gives some people a lot, some people a little and nothing to others. If you had asked the mortal's way, I would have given the same amount to everybody," answered the Hoca.

There is no agreement on the period in which the Hoca lived. Research seems to indicate that he was born in 1208 in Sivrihisar, lived mostly in Aksehir (both situated in Central Anatolia) and died there in 1284/5. It is also thought that he served as the Imam (Muslim minister), of his native village and in Aksehir served as a judge and professor. Other scholars believe that he was a contemporary of Tamerlane in the 15th century. Indeed there are many stories concerning Tamerlane which often reflect the reaction of the Hodja to tyranny and oppression. A typical one is where the great conqueror weeps for two hours because he has caught sight of his face and is appalled by its ugliness. The Hoca weeps with him. Eventually Tamerlane stops weeping, but the Hoca goes on, when Tamerlane asks why, he replies, "If your majesty weeps for two hours after only catching a glimpse of your face in the mirror, there is every reason for me, who seeyou all the time to weep much longer."

There are many stories concerning the Hoca and his donkey. Here is a subtle story about the donkey: A neighbor of Nasreddin Hoca whom he dislikes profoundly, calls to borrow Hoca's donkey. "No, the donkey is out" replies Nasreddin. At the stable behind the house donkey brays violently. "But Hoca" protests the neighbor "How can you tell such a blatant lie, the donkey is there" "You impudent rascal," shouts the Hoca furiously "What do you meanby believing the donkey and not me. I don't want a man like you as my neighbor."

A celebrated story is about the cooking-pot, a little homily on wishful thinking and acquisitive instincts: The Hoca one day borrows a saucepan from his neighbor. When he gives it back he puts another smaller pot inside. "What is this?" aks the neighbor. "Oh, I forgot to tell you, the saucepan had a baby" replies the Hoca. The neighbor, though increduluous and perplexed, prefers to say nothing and keeps the smaller pot. A few days later the Hodja borrows the saucepan again and the neighbor lends it with alacrity. A week or more goes by and the saucepan isn't returned. Finally, the man asks for it. "I'm sorry," says Nasreddin "I have bad news for you, your saucepan died." "But you can't expect me to believe that," says the neighbour. "Why not?" replies the Hoca with impeccable logic. "You were ready to believe that it had given birth."

The Hoca who practiced polygamy had several wives during his lifetime. There therefore many stories relating the experiences of the Hoca with women. A famous one is about the blue bead:

The Hoca had two wifes. They were jealous of each other and fought frequently. To put an end to the fights, the Hodja gave each one a blue bead and said, "Now don't tell my other wife that I gave you this bead, this is the symbol of my love for you." One day the wifes fought again and asked Hoca to announce clearly who was his favorite. He answered phlegmatically, "I love the one who possesses the blue bead." The wifes never quarreled again.

Nasreddin Hoca stories are told as far as the Ottoman rule extended, the Balkans, North Africa and the countries in Central Asia and the Caucuses and where Turkish languages are spoken. The stories have also been translated into many languages. Every year in July, an interantional Nasreddin Hoca festival is organized in Aksehir where he is buried.

A final remark of Nasreddin Hoca seems to make an appropriate conclusion; "God must be almighty" he said, "Or for once something in my life would have turned out as I wanted it."