The Pleasantries of the Incredible Mulla Nasrudin

This book is a collection of very short tales, jokes & annecdotes, all featuring Mulla Nasrudin.

Mulla Nasrudin is at the same time a fool and a clever Sufi holy man. His stories are told in this collection, some amusing, some profound, but most an exercise in common sense, or what-is-said-exactly.

A couple of the shorter examples:

P126 - The SpeculatorNasrudin bought a large number of eggs and at once sold them at a price lower than the cost. When asked why he did it, he said ‘ Surely you don't want me to be called a profiteer?'

P150 - The BurglarA thief went into Nasrudin's house and carried away almost all the possessions of the Mulla to his own home. Nasrudin had been watching from the street. After a few minutes Nasrudin took up a blanket, followed him, went into his house, lay down, and pretended to go to sleep. ‘Who are you, and what are you doing here?' asked the thief. ‘Well,' said the Mulla, ‘we were moving house, were we not?'

P174 - Why Ask Me?Nasrudin was riding along one day when his donkey took fright at something in its path and started to bolt.As he sped past them at an unaccustomed pace some country-men called out:‘Where are you going, O Nasrudin, so fast?'‘Don't ask me,' shouted the Mulla, ;ask my donkey!'

P214 - Just In CaseNasrudin was walking down the street enveloped in a dark blue mourning robe. Someone stopped him and asked: ‘Why are you dressed like that Mulla - has someone died?'‘Almost certainly' replied Mulla Nasrudin. ‘It could have happened, you know, without my having been informed about it.'

The longer ones (which I can't be bother typing, sorry) are more involved and set things up more, as you can imagine. None are longer than a page and a half.

Many of them are very simple, and probably won't appeal to everyone. Maybe suited to a book to pick up for two minutes at a time.

3 stars.