Nasruddin

Missive #568 Published 26 September 2025

106. Nasruddin the Architect

“Our house is so crowded,” Nasruddin’s neighbor complained. “We can’t stand it anymore.”
“I can help,” Nasruddin said. “Will you obey my advice exactly?”
His neighbor nodded.
“Bring your goats, chickens, and donkey into the house.”
A week later, the neighbor told Nasruddin, “That just made things worse!”
“I know,” said Nasruddin. “But now, send the donkey outside.”
“That’s better,” said the neighbor a week later.
“Now send the chickens back out.”
“That’s much better,” the neighbor said next time.
“Now the goats.”
Nasruddin’s neighbor came back smiling. “Thank you, Nasruddin!” he said. “Our house is so much bigger now!”

Missive #565 Published 19 September 2025

105. Nasruddin and the Bears

A rich man had invited Nasruddin to go with him on a bear hunt. Reluctantly, Nasruddin accepted the invitation.
A few days later, he returned from the hunt beaming with happiness.
“How did it go?” his neighbor asked him.
“It was wonderful!” Nasruddin replied with a smile.
“How many bears did you kill?”
“None!”
“How many bears did you chase?”
“None!”
“How many bears did you see?”
“None!” said Nasruddin happily.
His neighbor stared at him in confusion. “That is why it was wonderful!” Nasruddin explained. “I don’t mind hunting bears if there are not any bears to be found.”

Missive #562 Published 12 September 2025

104. Nasruddin and the Sesame Seeds

As one of Nasruddin’s neighbors walked by, he noticed that Nasruddin was throwing sesame seeds onto the ground. There were sesame seeds everywhere!

“What on earth are you doing?” the neighbor asked.

“I’m scattering sesame seeds,” Nasruddin replied calmly.

“I can see that!” said his neighbor. “But I don’t understand why you’re scattering sesame seeds.”

“To keep the tigers away,” said Nasruddin. “I highly recommend you give it a try too!”

“I still don’t understand,” his neighbor replied. “There aren’t any tigers anywhere near here.”

“I know!” Nasruddin exclaimed. “Isn’t it wonderful? The sesame seeds are working just as expected.”

Missive #554 Published 29 August 2025

102. Nasruddin and the Neighbor’s Dog

The neighbor’s dog bit Nasruddin. After bandaging the wound, Nasruddin went next door to the neighbor to complain.

“That vicious dog of yours just bit me!” Nasruddin shouted.

“I’m very sorry to hear that,” said the neighbor. “He’s really a very nice dog. Let me go in the kitchen and get some bread. Then you can feed him the bread yourself, and he’ll be your friend forever.”

“That’s a terrible idea!” said Nasruddin. “If I do that, your dog will tell all the other dogs in town, and then all those dogs will come here trying to bite me too.”

Missive #550 Published 22 August 2025

Nasruddin’s neighbor asked to borrow his donkey.

“Let me go ask the donkey,” he said.

A few moments later, Nasruddin returned.

“My deepest apologies,” he said to his neighbor, “but the donkey refuses. He explained his reasoning like this: if I make him work for you, you are likely to beat him, and if you beat him, he will bite you, and after he bites you, you will curse me. So really, it’s better for all of us if I do not loan you the donkey.”

Missive #547 Published 15 August 2025

100. Nasruddin’s Clothesline

A neighbor asked to borrow Nasruddin’s clothesline.

“I’m afraid that’s not possible,” said Nasruddin. He tried to sound apologetic, but he really didn’t want to loan anything to anyone. “I’m using the clothesline right now.”

“But I didn’t see any clothes drying outside. What are you using it for?”

“I’m using it to dry flour,” Nasruddin explained. “I spilled some water and the flour got wet. The flour is still drying.”

“You can’t use a clothesline for drying flour!” exclaimed the neighbor. “That’s impossible!”

“It’s completely possible,” Nasruddin replied calmly, “when your purpose is to avoid loaning out your clothesline.”

Missive #544 Published 8 August 2025

99. Nasruddin Thinks of Soup

Nasruddin was hungry, but he had nothing to eat in the house. He sat in the kitchen, dreaming of soup. A nice noodle soup with beans and lentils, some onion and spinach, seasoned with some turmeric, yogurt on the side…

Then, as Nasruddin was thinking about that soup, he heard a knock at the door. It was his neighbor’s young son.

“Please, Nasruddin,” said the boy, “if you have cooked a pot of soup here, may we please have some?”

The boy then held out an empty bowl.

“Incredible!” Nasruddin exclaimed. “The neighbors can smell even the thought of soup.”