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Nasruddin

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?”

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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!”

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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!”

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Missive #301 Published 28 June 2024

41. NASRUDDIN IS PERPLEXED…

This is another very good history book, a genre that Dos Passos began writing in 1954 when he wrote The Head and Heart of Thomas Jefferson. I did not like his earlier novels but his history nonfiction has been very good.

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Missive #298 Published 21 June 2024

40. NASRUDDIN’S BURIED TREASURE

One of Nasruddin’s neighbors noticed him in the yard digging a hole. When he went to find out just what Nasruddin was doing, he saw that Nasruddin had dug many holes here and there.

“Why are you digging all these holes?” the neighbor asked.

Nasruddin stared at him wild-eyed. “I’m trying to find the money I buried here last year! Now I really need the money, but I can’t find the spot where I buried it.”

“Didn’t you use something to mark the spot?”

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Missive #294 Published 14 June 2024

39. DIFFERENT PEOPLE, DIFFERENT PATHS

Over time, Nasruddin had become famous for his wisdom and learning. As a result people came from near and far to ask him questions.

“I have a question, Nasruddin!” one visitor said. “Why is it that people choose to follow so many different paths in life instead of following the one true path?”

“It’s actually for the good of the world that everyone follows their own path,” Nasruddin replied. “Just imagine: if everyone followed the same path and ended up at the same destination, the world would lose its balance, tip over, and we would all plunge into the abyss.”

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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!”

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Missive #286 Published 31 May 2024

37. NASRUDDIN IN THE ROSE GARDEN

As Nasruddin was walking home one day, he decided to take the long way through a rose garden instead of the usual road. The roses were all in bloom, and the scent was heavenly.

But as Nasruddin strolled through the garden, he slipped in the mud and crashed into some rose bushes. He was badly bruised and bleeding from where the thorns had scratched him, plus he was covered with mud.…

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Missive #283 Published 24 May 2024

This is the last in Cornwell's Sailing Thrillers series. I enjoyed them all but will be looking forward to reading more of his historical fiction which is his best genre.

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Missive #279 Published 17 May 2024

35. HOW OLD IS NASRUDDIN?

Nasruddin was sitting in the coffeehouse drinking coffee with one of his friends. They were talking about this and that, and Nasruddin’s friend asked, “Just how old are you, Nasruddin?”
“I’m fifty years old,” replied Nasruddin, taking a sip of his coffee.
His friend thought for a moment and then said, “Fifty years old? Really? I’m sure that’s what you told me when I asked you your age several years ago.”
“That’s right. I said I was fifty years old then, and I’m sticking to my story!” said Nasruddin. “I’m a man of my word; you can count on it.”

A lot going on this past week.

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