~ Parrot ~

[Doğan Can Çiçek]

One day The Hodja was walking around in the market place. He saw a
bright-coloured bird for sale for 12 gold coins. Hodja was amazed. He
approached the crowd gathered around the bird and its seller.

`How can a bird be so expensive?' he asked the people watching the
bird.

`This is a special bird,' they explained, `it can talk like a human
being!' This gave Hodja an idea. He went straight to his home, grabbed
his turkey and brought him to the market place. He stood near the man
selling the parrot.

`Turkey, for sale, ten gold coins!' he yelled.

`Hodja Effendi, how can a turkey be worth ten gold coins?' the
shoppers protested.

`There is a bird there for 12 gold.' insisted the adamant Hodja.

`But Hodja Effendi, that bird can talk like a human being.' the people
tried to reason. But Hodja was unbending.

`And this turkey can think like a human being.' he countered.