Small Barn

~ Small Barn ~

Nasreddin Hodja's barn was very small, it could barely house his donkey. When Hodja's wife insisted that they should get a cow, so that they could benefit from its milk, the Hodja always refused, claiming there was no room in the barn for a cow. But the wife persisted and the Hodja gave in. They bought a cow. When they brought the cow home, it turned out that Nasreddin Hodja was right. When the cow was lying down, the donkey had to stand and when the donkey was lying down, the cow had to stand. The Hodja was very upset that his beloved donkey was uncomfortable all night long. He wished that the cow would die and his cherished donkey would have peace.

`My Allah!' he prayed, `If you take the cow, the wife cannot pester me any more and my donkey would have the barn all to himself.'

The next morning when the Hodja entered the barn, to his dismay, he found his donkey dead.

`You Sublime Creator,' he addressed the heavens, `don't be upset with me for saying this, but after all these years, you still can't tell a cow from a donkey!'