One Day The Hodja... ~ Tax Collector ~

[Doğan Can Çiçek]

~ Tax Collector ~

One day, the tax collector of Aksehir and surrounding towns fell into
the river. Since he didn't know how to swim, he was about to drown.
The villagers gathered by the river bank trying to save him.
`Give me your hand, give me your hand.' they were all shouting. But
the man was not extending his hand. At that time Nasreddin Hodja
happened to be passing by.
`Hodja Effendi,' said the good samaritans, `the tax collector fell
into the water. He is going to drown. He is not giving his hand.'
`Let me try.' said the Hodja. `Effendi, effendi,' he yelled to the man
bobbing in the water, `take my hand!' To this, the tax collector
immediately extended his hand and grabbed Hodja's arm. The Hodja and
the people around were now able to pull him off the water.
`You see,' the Hodja clarified, `he is a tax collector, he is more
practised in taking than giving.'