Nasreddin Hoja, Turkish Philosopher

A Dinner of Smells

A poor man once went to find the Hoja and humbly said, "Wise and noble Nasreddin, I want to ask a favor of you but I don't know if you will stoop so slow as to help me."

"To help my neighbor is an honor and a pleasure. Speak," answered the Hoja.

"Alas!" said the man with a sigh. "For us poor people, lie is not easy. Yesterday I stopped a moment in front of the door of a restaurant belonging to a great lord. He said that I ate the semll of his food and asked me to pay him. Naturally I could not give him a cent and he took me before the cadi. My sentence will be pronounced today. Can you help me? Say something in my behalf."

"All right," replied the Hoja and accompanied the poor man to the court of the cadi.

The lord was already there, talking gaily with the cadi. As soon as he saw the accused, the cadi changed his expression and began covering him with insults. "Shameless man! You see this lord? You have filled yourself up on the smell of his restaurant and have not even paid him. Pay him what you owe, at once!"

"You will become ill with vexation, my lord," said the HOja, stepping forward. He bowed and added, "This poor man is my elder brother. He doesn't have a cent, so I will pay in his place."

The Hoja then took a little sack of copper coins from his belt, bent to the lord's ear and jingled them. "Do you hear this sound?" he asked.

"Of course I hear it," retorted the lord.

"Well, now the debt is paid. My brother has smelled your meals and you have heard his money."
He took the arm of the poor man and went away.