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The Turkish Jester - or, The Pleasantries of Cogia Nasr Eddin Effendi by Hoca Nasreddin
page 13 of 40 (32%)
dust into the eyes of Ahmed. 'Hallo, Cogia,' he cried, 'what does this
dust mean?' 'If the wolf's tail breaks,' said the Cogia, 'you'll soon
see what the dust means.'

One day the Cogia mounted upon a tree, and, sitting upon a branch,
forthwith began to cut it. A person coming up said, 'Hallo, man! what
are you about? as soon as you have cut the branch you will fall.' The
Cogia made no answer, but went on cutting, and no sooner had he cut
through the bough than down fell the Cogia to the ground. Getting up, he
ran after the person, crying out, 'Ho, fellow, if you knew that I should
fall you also knew that I should kill myself,' and forthwith seized him
by the collar. The man, finding no other way to save himself, said,
'Leave hold of me and fling yourself down on the road face upwards. At
the first belching that you give half your soul will leave your body; at
the second, all will go and not a particle will remain.' The Cogia did
so, and at the second belching, laying himself down on the ground, he
cried, 'I am dead,' and remained motionless. Forthwith the Ulemas
hastened to him, and bringing with them a coffin, placed him in it,
saying, 'Let us carry him home.' On their way, coming to a miry place,
they said, 'We will rest,' and began to talk together. The Cogia,
forthwith raising his head from the coffin, said, 'If I were alive I
would get out of this place as quick as possible.'

One day the Cogia set about making a stable under the earth. As he was
digging, he got into a stable of one of his neighbours, in which he found
several oxen. The Cogia, very much rejoiced, went into his house, and
said, 'O wife, I have found a stable of oxen; a relic of the times of the
Caffirs. Now what will you give me for bringing you this piece of good
news?'

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