Hudson

Missive #314 Published 19 July 2024

44. NASRUDDIN THE PROUD FATHER

A friend noticed him and said, “Nasruddin! Wait a moment and talk! I haven’t seen you in such a long time.”

“I really don’t have time to stop and talk,” Nasruddin explained. “I went out to do the shopping, and now I need to hurry home.”

“Why the rush?”

“My wife just had a baby!” Nasruddin said proudly.

“What wonderful news!” replied his friend. “I’m very glad for you. And is it a boy or a girl?”

Nasruddin stared at him in amazement. “Yes, it is!” he answered. “But how did you know?”

Missive #309 Published 12 July 2024

43. NASRUDDIN DIGS A HOLE

Nasruddin’s neighbor saw him digging a deep hole in the yard. Nasruddin was barely visible but his neighbor could see shovelfuls of earth flying up out of the hole.

“Nasruddin!” he shouted. “What are you digging that hole for?”

Nasruddin clambered up out of the hole. “I need a place to bury all the rubbish left over from building the new barn.”

“And what are you going to do with this heap of earth from the hole you’re digging here now?”

Nasruddin paused and scratched his head. “I hadn’t thought about that. I suppose I’ll have to dig another hole!”

Missive #304 Published 5 July 2024

42. NASRUDDIN THE OPTIMIST

Nasruddin’s neighbor saw him kneeling by the side of the lake, spooning something into the water. He was used to Nasruddin behaving strangely, but this was unusual even for Nasruddin. He decided to go investigate and see what Nasruddin was doing.

As the neighbor got closer, he saw that Nasruddin was spooning yogurt into the lake.

“Why are you spooning yogurt into the lake?” asked the neighbor.

“It’s starter!” Nasruddin explained. “I am hoping to turn the whole lake into yogurt.”
“But that’s impossible!” said his neighbor.
“Yes, it’s impossible,” admitted Nasruddin. “But just imagine how wonderful it would be!”

Missive #290 Published 7 June 2024

38. NASRUDDIN AND THE EAGLE

Nasruddin was chopping wood one day, working up quite a sweat. Finally he got so hot that he took off his turban and hung it carefully on a tree branch.

Then, without warning, an enormous eagle came swooping down from the sky and snatched Nasruddin’s turban.

“Hey, that bird took my turban!” Nasruddin shouted as the eagle soared away up into the sky.

Then he sighed. “Well, I wish he hadn’t taken my turban, but I suppose it’s all for the best. If I hadn’t taken off my turban just in time, the eagle would have carried me away too!”

Missive #275 Published 10 May 2024

34. NASRUDDIN AND THE FISH Nasruddin and his friends were sitting in the coffeehouse, getting into arguments as usual. “Fish are truly remarkable animals,” Nasruddin opined. “Nobody really respects fish, but they deserve our respect. Talented, intelligent, well-behaved. In fact, there’s nothing a person can do that a fish can’t do better!” “That’s ridiculous!” protested one of Nasruddin’s friends. “Fish can’t talk better than people do. Fish can’t even talk at all. I’ve seen hundreds of fish, thousands of fish, but not a single talking fish, and that’s because fish can’t talk.”

Missive #267 Published 26 April 2024

32. NASRUDDIN RESCUES THE MOON

Nasruddin’s house happened to catch on fire while Nasruddin was in the coffeehouse. One of his neighbors came bursting in to tell him the bad news.

“Nasruddin!” he shouted. “Come quickly! Your house is on fire!”

Nasruddin jumped up and ran to see what had happened. It was true: his house really was on fire. Flames were shooting up into the air and the whole structure was about to collapse.

Nasruddin, however, just stood there smiling.…

Missive #260 Published 12 April 2024

30. NASRUDDIN RESCUES THE MOON

Nasruddin was walking home late one night when he stopped at a well to drink some water.

As he stared down into the well, he saw the moon.

“Hang on, Moon!” he shouted. “I’ll rescue you!”

He lowered the bucket into the well but, as he tried to maneuver the bucket into just the right spot so the moon could climb in, he stumbled on the hem of his robe and fell over backwards.

Missive #251 Published 29 March 2024

28. NASRUDDIN VISITS A TOWN FOR THE FIRST TIME

Nasruddin was visiting a new town for the first time. He didn’t know anybody in the town, and he wasn’t sure what to do or where to go; it made him feel uneasy.

He decided to enter the first door he found open: a carpenter’s shop.

“Hello!” said the carpenter.

“Hello!” replied Nasruddin. “Did you see me just now walk into your shop?”