~ Overblown ~

[Doğan Can Çiçek]

Two Persians were passing through Aksehir. Nasreddin Hodja and other
villagers were chatting with them in the village coffee house. One of
the Persians was talking endlessly about the splendours and prosperity
of Persia.

`In our city Esfahan, The Shah has a palace that is 5000 yards in
length and it has 200 rooms.' he was going on and on. The Hodja wanted
to reciprocate with his own show-off.

`Our city Bursa has even bigger palaces. And furthermore, there is a
new spa built around the thermal springs, it is 6000 yards in length
and--'

`I know Bursa very well.' the other Persian interrupted. Upon hearing
this, Hodja wanted to cut his tall tale short.

`And it is 50 yards in width.' he completed sheepishly. Hodja's
friends noticed the disparity between the proportions.

`Hodja Effendi,' they whispered, `the width doesn't go with the
length.'

`Had this man not claimed to know Bursa well,' hodja replied, `I was
going to match the width to the length.'