Human Wisdom

Stories

This reminds me of a story

111 brief stories, parables and jokes that carry more than one meaning — retold by Ioan Tenner.

Choose a title that catches your eye. Each opens a brief encounter with Nasreddin Hodja — philosopher, trickster and wise fool.

  1. Begin here Foreword There is nothing new in the world but for a newborn all the stories are new. For the newcomer to Nasreddin Hodja, the 111 stories that follow promise a discovery. As for Nasreddin’s old… Read the story
  2. Story 1 Educating the donkey Wisdom is a treasury that grows as you give it away; it helps you do more and more with less and less. This is wonderful, but giving away does not make you rich; Folks even believe they do… Read the story
  3. Story 2 Filial piety Beware; nothing is impossible for the man who does not have to do it himself. To lunatic, dangerous commands, survive with unashamed make-believe. Under tyranny, public delusion is a way of… Read the story
  4. Story 3 Bull’s eye Looks like a joke but thinks like strategy. Decide your aim after the fact and you will never fail to reach your goals. Read the story
  5. Story 4 When the whole world smells fish It is possible that everybody turned against you but this is rare. When the whole world smells fish… you are in need to clean your nose. What happens to you is because of you. Consider what… Read the story
  6. Story 5 A time for asking and a time for giving Some simpletons will importune you and then ask for a favour. To do better than this, when you petition think people! Understand them if you want their understanding. Read the story
  7. Story 6 Smuggling common sense It is most difficult to see things that are not there but the obvious is even harder to observe. Do fishes notice water? No, it is all around them. Is water important for fishes? Certainly… Read the story
  8. Story 7 One famous strike of scimitar Wisdom consists (among other things) in constantly fitting your ends to your means. Read the story
  9. Story 8 The right perspective Bare truth is a sharp knife. As Balthasar Gracian said, you should seize things not by the blade, which cuts you, but by the handle to use them. Clothe naked truth with good sense and… Read the story
  10. Story 9 Thief in a box To learn something, do it. To teach something cause it to be done. Would one master swimming on the shore? Read the story
  11. Story 10 Seeking and finding Exceptional people give new meaning to old things. Common people drag down new things to common meaning. It is sad but so it is; for the man with the hammer, everything looks like a nail.… Read the story
  12. Story 11 Early bird… The false wisdom that working long and hard is all you need for success was invented to make the many toil for the few. As for the few, they know that arriving at the right time to the… Read the story
  13. Story 12 Duck soup and kisses through messengers When you spread your words among people, do not forget that whatever you meant gets thinner as it passes from person to person, until there is nothing left. If you cannot address everyone… Read the story
  14. Story 13 The right place for halwa Do not deny yourself the little pleasures you can afford now. Let life test your abstinence with the many desires you cannot fulfil. Is it not true that having a strong will means obtaining… Read the story
  15. Story 14 Sharing is good Agreed, those who have should give to those who don’t. But who has right to take what, from whom, is a conversation that overthrew empires. Tread with care! Read the story
  16. Story 15 Seven figs for seven monkeys Liars cannot cheat everybody, all of the time. They only deceive all of the people, some of the time and some of the people all of the time… Isn’t that much enough? Read the story
  17. Story 16 A handful of sparrows If you have a gift of doing things with words, learn to keep your mouth shut. When you feel witty remember that a good joke never won over an enemy but often lost a friend. The right word… Read the story
  18. Story 17 The other side To think like a free man, keep aware of your point of view. Reckon other points of view. Most people are chained to only one, their own. Read the story
  19. Story 18 Sitting quietly by the river “We learn from history that people learn nothing from history” finds one philosopher. “Those who don’t learn from history are doomed to live it again” adds another. Learn then that the… Read the story
  20. Story 19 Word of a donkey When nothing else works, get offended. Indignation, if you keep calm, can be useful in lack of other arguments. You look stiff but dignified. You may get away with it. Read the story
  21. Story 20 Give me your hand! You can speak all the right words and still not be understood. One same thing must be worded in many different ways and curiously, different things can be said with the same word.. Use the… Read the story
  22. Story 21 A delightful Turkish bath... You are worth to people what they expect from you, teaches Gracian. Not what they owe you. Only fools bank on gratitude, the wise count on desire. When you stop giving hope, you are of the… Read the story
  23. Story 22 Walking on water “Occam’s razor” principle teaches us to shave away the useless complications. Amazingly often the summit of competence is the power to make things simple. Keep them as simple as possible… Read the story
  24. Story 23 Stone soup The best way to teach and to convince is to act like Socrates. Be a midwife not a schoolmaster. Come with seemingly empty hands, armed with discrete wisdom. Cook new knowledge from the… Read the story
  25. Story 24 Imam Bayildy Tyrants deserve hypocrisy. To people you do not like, say what they like! Telling them only what they desire is cruel, like holding a blinding mirror. Render therefore unto Caesar the… Read the story
  26. Story 25 Half your life Beware of insignificant people! Among those whose life is worth little, your life is worth nothing. Read the story
  27. Story 26 The goat Bad is never good until worse arrives. Make things look even worse for a while! Then, ease the pain by getting back to what was before. Worse to better feels better than better to worse.… Read the story
  28. Story 27 What will I say? The master makes people learn without teaching. Have a light hand! Cause the folks to put their heads together and explain each other what they know, while you keep silent. Many a little… Read the story
  29. Story 28 Mourning Success has many parents but failure is always an orphan, so much is well known. Similarly, insolvency has no descendants, but wealth finds many inheritors. Read the story
  30. Story 29 Turn your other cheek Keep your critiques for your friends. Criticism is a useful gift. Enemies would get free advice from your critique to adjust their aim and to improve their wrongdoing. A wise man must be a… Read the story
  31. Story 30 Gainful way to loose a wager The pinnacle of commerce is to earn from loss. Try to think like this (at times): “What could I gain by losing this?” Read the story
  32. Story 31 Riding to market An advice may be good counsel but following all opinions is stupid without mistake. A camel is a horse drawn by a committee. Listen to suggestions without interruption, and have the courage… Read the story
  33. Story 32 Chastity on the road side Avoid the paragons of ascetism and abstinence. I am frightened of what may lurk in their soul. In addition, remember: God may forgive us for the sins we have made, but He will never ever… Read the story
  34. Story 33 Need some money When one comes for help, do not give advice instead. It serves little but it irritates a lot. Read the story
  35. Story 34 The finger… When you dream, dream big! In need, don’t beg for trifles! The smart pauper looks for changing his condition, not for alms that keep him another day as he is. Additionally remember the old… Read the story
  36. Story 35 Language of signs There are times when it is better not to understand each other; particularly in important matters of principle and of conviction. Consider leaving a few things misunderstood for the sake of… Read the story
  37. Story 36 Justice to the people in a garden of truths Every man who says sincerely that which he believes, speaks truth. His. This is why there are so many truths. Do not err to call liars people who believe other than you. They may be… Read the story
  38. Story 37 A silly joke Most people tend to push and oppose force to force. So, the weaker is always defeated. Few possess the eastern art - instead of pushing back - to pull an opponent and make him fall by his… Read the story
  39. Story 38 Night walk If you cannot dress in lion skin, wear fox pelt. In bad times, learn how to benefit from the shadow of the powerful. But that requires nerve. Read the story
  40. Story 39 Rightful price Things should be paid in kind to keep this world fair. Reward true help with generous gratitude, honesty with sincerity and good manners with politeness. This keeps you just. But to a… Read the story
  41. Story 40 What is air When you debate with the know-all ask them that simplest of things: “what is this (which you believe to know so well)? What is it?” Most people are unable to answer properly. Socrates used… Read the story
  42. Story 41 A pot is born Keep a suspicious eye on your desires. We tend to believe whatever we long for. Cunning liars know this very well; their tales are tall (beyond your ability to compare) and simple (so that… Read the story
  43. Story 42 Poisonous gift Words once spoken live their own life. Giving careless reasons may turn back on you like a boomerang. Think both ways. Mind that what you point to others now can be pointed back to you… Read the story
  44. Story 43 The art of dispute Do not fight each “No!” with a “No!” The strongest debater is not the one who claims loud something different but the one who knows how to make the same things appear in a completely new… Read the story
  45. Story 44 Not much to say Some rare people do it naturally, for the rest of us it is a valuable discovery: when you have nothing to say, just say nothing. You are not obliged to fill all the silences with your… Read the story
  46. Story 45 The sky is falling Who has nothing has nothing to lose but those who have a lot at stake always engage him to die a heroic death for their ills.” Le sage, en hésitant, tourne autour du tombeau…” Read the story
  47. Story 46 Lame duck There may be great advantage in being nobody, at times. A crowd is a good place to hide. The anonymous rascal shielded by a multitude can voice truth for which a reputable citizen would get… Read the story
  48. Story 47 To talk with kings… Always look on the bright side of life. For a confident mind a kick in the pants is a step forward and a near miss – a sign of good luck. As they say, a glass half empty is also half full.… Read the story
  49. Story 48 Patience please You can teach best by pointing your finger. It is like having life at your command, to give it as an example. One such case is when you bring the learner to do exactly the mistake you… Read the story
  50. Story 49 Still going strong Just playing with the words: doesn’t your strength start where your weakness stops? Read the story
  51. Story 50 Secret of the saints Renown breeds high expectations. This is poisonous credit. When people imagine they will behold miracles, whatever you do will disappoint them. Reject excessive praise if not by modesty, by… Read the story
  52. Story 51 Ibn Khaldoun’s mule Waiting is a great art of survival. Danger itself has a course of life: it is born, it dwells around for a while and sooner or later, if you leave it alone, it dies out. Do not get… Read the story
  53. Story 52 Rule of the market Let us face it. There is little honesty in commerce. For noble sounding reasons, stealing from the maker in the field and the buyer in the marketplace is called business. Read the story
  54. Story 53 Calling names Let me wonder again at the power of changing with one single word the meaning of a whole situation. Such turns of phrase are good to treasure in your memory. Nasreddin’s sharp mind is a… Read the story
  55. Story 54 Invocations Prayer reveals the praying one and questions lay bare the questioner. Listen to what people desire and learn who they are. Read the story
  56. Story 55 Son of somebody All people may be born equal but, in this world, they are certainly not all the same. To believe that the boorish and the gentle are to be treated in the same way you must be blind. Read the story
  57. Story 56 Virtuous Dreams An eye for an eye and a lie for a lie. Truth may burst like oil to the surface of falsity but sincerity is no match for bad faith. Let hypocrites taste their own cooking. In this way, there… Read the story
  58. Story 57 Funerals It is amazing how much people worry about funeral observances after they neglected a man his whole life. Isn’t your true feeling the most important thing? Read the story
  59. Story 58 Make me laugh ! The mind has definite limits but we do not observe them because we do not know what we do not know. However, there is an occasion to feel the unknown – when we are puzzled or lost and we… Read the story
  60. Story 59 It’s me Often, language is silly. Revealing this makes people think. Well, some of the people. Read the story
  61. Story 60 They don’t know who I am The last insanity of the tyrants is to conclude that they are God. In fact, this ordinary madness befalls also a number of petty backyard bullies, when some little power over people goes to… Read the story
  62. Story 61 I had the upper hand You can make a fool of yourself to let people feel how pathetic they are. Sadly, the least clever will still not understand. Humour calls for intelligence, do not waste it. Read the story
  63. Story 62 All we need is answers Most people believe that asking questions goes by itself. But I see that questions are like doors; if you open the right one you go where you need. Through the wrong one, you reach nowhere… Read the story
  64. Story 63 Stolen Did this happen to you? Ask for help against a thief and the policeman investigates you. The people of the order do not like to deal with disorder. It is easier to search the victim. Read the story
  65. Story 64 This is how I shoot! Often those who teach cannot do and those who find the fault cannot fix it. Nothing wrong in this provided you understand to take from each what they can offer instead of believing… Read the story
  66. Story 65 Hodja’s nail Never burn all the bridges. At the time you must depart and lose, leave behind some token, set aside some minute reserve. It will help as a pretext if you need to return one day. Sometimes… Read the story
  67. Story 66 Free lunch Extremes are errors. It is easy to tease people into the error of taking an extreme by embracing the opposite extreme. (The proper riposte is to oppose an extreme with the moderate middle… Read the story
  68. Story 67 Seek and you will find Surprise is the weapon without a blade. You can floor people by the sheer power of the unexpected. Read the story
  69. Story 68 Me again The ability to marvel about the meaning of words is a sign of fine intelligence but looks silly to the stupid. “What good is an idle thought,” they say, “when you can’t even sell it?” Read the story
  70. Story 69 Divine Justice You see this one and that one doing without shame to others what they hate to be done unto them. But when it comes to their own interest they demand justice. Read the story
  71. Story 70 About learning I witness that besides growing the freedom of choices in your mind, learning helps you feel less lonely when everybody deserted you. Many souls are with you when you learn. Read the story
  72. Story 71 Tamerlane’s elephant Noble is sacrifice for the public good! It will be wise though to ask yourself whether a given public is good enough to deserve it. Read the story
  73. Story 72 The right time “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:” A time to be born, and a time to die; …a time to be wise and a time to be like everybody else. Don’t choose… Read the story
  74. Story 73 Looking in the mirror Be careful, kings only, and not all of them, understand that having a jester at court – to tell them bold truth – is kingly luxury. Common people laugh at your jest and then treat you for… Read the story
  75. Story 74 Just playing He, who steals an egg today, will steal an ox tomorrow. Hunger develops imagination. Read the story
  76. Story 75 Monkey Those who guide you to be what you are not, or worse, who tell you what not to think are tempters. “Think no evil” is a loosing game. Read the story
  77. Story 76 Ask Abdul Cultivate the art of profuse excuses. Nobody believes them but at least you prove that you care and have imagination. Read the story
  78. Story 77 The key to heaven and hell Few things teach like show-how. Only experience is stronger. Reserve this for the important insights. Read the story
  79. Story 78 Nothing Things that do not exist have an enormous potential; unhindered by fact, everything becomes possible. To imaginary problems you can impart imaginary solutions, at will. Moreover, the non… Read the story
  80. Story 79 A horse saved me It’s not so much what happens, but what you understand from it. It is God's hand in everything or simply the work of your hand. Read the story
  81. Story 80 God’s kingdom It is hard to correct people who know for certain but there are ways to do it by push or by pull, from outside or from inside; to challenge peoples' certitudes push against them to stop… Read the story
  82. Story 81 The worth of what you know Some people insist to measure and judge you by that which you are not, which you do not have, you cannot, or that which you do not know. Reject this stupid abuse; assert credit for what you… Read the story
  83. Story 82 The once a century scheme There are no old tricks, only old people. A hoax is new, once in every generation. Once in a lifetime it works. Some turns of mind are worth to remember, as they will happen again. Read the story
  84. Story 83 Or else! What should you do when the unacceptable happens? Well… what you can. It is definitely forbidden to do what you cannot. Read the story
  85. Story 84 A gift of fruit Sometimes, for the sake of fun or truth, there is no alternative to calling a spade a spade. Read the story
  86. Story 85 Too many words When there is something to say, the wise one speaks the right number of words, not one more, not one less. The only difficulty with this golden rule is to judge which words are the really… Read the story
  87. Story 86 The use of boots Everything is relative; especially man’s solidarity with his fellow. The sad truth is that most often you do not need to be the best, just better is sufficient. Read the story
  88. Story 87 Conversations with God Do not be so incredulous with the rumours of miracle. In some cases they prove to be literally true. Read the story
  89. Story 88 What it seems and what it is When you place the cheese in the mousetrap, you are advised to leave some space for the mouse too. Read the story
  90. Story 89 Find the stupid Instruct a jester with care. He may do what you request instead of what you want. Read the story
  91. Story 90 Either or Don’t let people choose the choices for you and say “It is this or that!” Quite often, there is a choice of the choices themselves. Read the story
  92. Story 91 Multiplying with one hundred There is strength in numbers; the best place to hide may be amidst a crowd like a needle in a haystack. Read the story
  93. Story 92 How much In overseeing your possessions it helps to have a long term view. Not too long though. Read the story
  94. Story 93 You never know A drop of eastern wisdom will always be good for you, provided you don’t get drowned in the endless flow of it. Read the story
  95. Story 94 Moving To protect your goods and ideas from being stolen, ensure that owning them will cost the thief more than leaving them with you. Read the story
  96. Story 95 An arm’s length Being a public man is an art of the harlot. With one hand you lure the crowd, with another you shun it defending your privacy. Read the story
  97. Story 96 Teaching the perplexed For many, complexity is a menace and subtlety an insult. With such, keep things flat. Learn to hide how clever you are. Read the story
  98. Story 97 The way Energy, determination and good hope are precious companions but poor guides.If you are able to do what you want make certain that you want the right thing. Read the story
  99. Story 98 Flirting with humility Truly, to practice humility you need a certain well-being. Read the story
  100. Story 99 Good food There is always higher than high and lower than low. Read the story
  101. Story 100 Precise justice You can do what you want, but can you want what you want? Read the story
  102. Story 101 Big fish, small fish Could someone please explain once more why you have to do unto others that which you want to have done unto you? Read the story
  103. Story 102 Last wishes To him that is joined to all the living there is hope. A living dog is better than a dead lion. Read the story
  104. Story 103 Random acts of kindness In one hundred occasions there may be ninety-nine when you don’t have a choice. But there is one when you can choose to do what you think to be good and right. That one decides who you are.… Read the story
  105. Story 104 Art of begging Beware the one who swells your pride. A flatterer gives nothing but always takes. Read the story
  106. Story 105 Just a trifle Don’t ask for news from hungry people. Read the story
  107. Story 106 Bad debt Facts are just facts. It is the feelings about them that are hurtful. If you cannot change the fact, you can often cure the feeling. Read the story
  108. Story 107 I will fool you Nothing fools you like yourself. Skilled deceivers know this best. Read the story
  109. Story 108 Sharing with God You are always guilty of something when compared to the virtue of the hypocrites. To counter them, amplify their claims until it appears how absurd and false is such perfection. Read the story
  110. Story 109 Skilful augur Bold people learn the art of self-fulfilling prophesy knowing that a large part of our future is of our own making. Read the story
  111. Story 110 The wisdom of the world It takes a life to learn what is really important; so that you would speak less, about fewer, meaningful things. But silence is rarely understood. You can of course point the way or give… Read the story
  112. Story 111 This shall pass too… It rains and then it stops… Everything has a beginning and an end. And as they say, when there is no more water in the pail, there is no more moon in the water. Tales go to sleep with their… Read the story
  113. An extra story Excuses... Saddled donkey with blinkers F. T. Faber, (1782–1844) Rijksmuseum CC0 1.0 Look and learn com) Some people just don’t want to take no for an answer when it is about their interes… Read the story