One Day The Hodja...~ Fur Coat ~

[Doğan Can Çiçek]

~ Fur Coat ~

One day the Hodja was invited to a feast in an important and wealthy
family's home. When he arrived, neither the hosts, nor the other
guests paid any attention to him. They made him sit at one corner of
the table, they didn't ask his opinion on any of the discussed
matters, and worst of all, they forgot to pass him the food trays.
Nasreddin Hodja felt left out. Nobody was showing any due respect or
offering him food. The servants were passing him by and forgetting to
fill his goblet.
A half hour later, the Hodja had enough of being ignored and he
quietly slipped out of the house. He went back to his home and changed
his clothes. He wore the best and the newest garments he owned. Then,
he borrowed a very nice coat with real fur trims from one of his
better-off neighbours. With this new attire, he headed back to the
house where the banquet was being held.
This time around, everyone noticed the Hodja. The hosts and the
servants welcomed him and the other guests treated him with respect.
They gave him the best spot at the table and offered him food and
drinks. Nasreddin Hodja was very pleased with this new reception. He
started to eat with relish and participate in the conversation.
However, the guests and the hosts soon noticed that, every now and
then, the Hodja was dipping the hem of his coat into his plate and
muttering `eat my fur coat, do eat, you eat too.' Everyone was
curious.
`Hodja Effendi,' the host finally inquired, `why are you dipping your
coat into the food and what is it that you are murmuring?' Nasreddin
Hodja was waiting for this opportunity.
`I am feeding my coat,' he was glad to explain, `I am telling it to
enjoy the food. After all, it is thanks to its fur trims that I am
being offered all these delicious treats.'