The Pulaskian., 1916-01-07
TURKISH MARK TWAIN
KHoJA OF AQsHEHIR IS EMPIRES
 RENOWNED HUMoRIST.
FIourished Five Centuries Ago, But Ills Wit Is Remembered and Ap- preclated Today = Specimens
 That Have Been Translated.

That Have Been Translated
 While the arts and sciences have ianguished under the sultans' rule; while the technology of a thousand years ago is still widely employed in supplying the wants of the Turkish populace; while all social progress has been left too largely to the unhur ried care of fate, the Ottoman empire has, nevertheless, produced one ere ative genius, the Khoja of Aqshehir, the renowned humorist around whose name all the fun of a nation has gath cred" begins bulletin issued by the National Geographic society, which tells of the great man born, nurtured and buried in Aqshehir five centuries ago. The bulletin continues:
 "Khoja Nasr ed-Din was an Imam, sort of Mohammedan country par son, a naive, illiterate happy go-lucky fellow, part clown, part gentle philoso- pher, and altogether thoroughly com ical and human. The reason of the Khojas existence was his legion of funny adventures. He was remiss priest, shiftless citizen and an exas- perating husband His native town lies about no miles from Konia, in Asia Minor, and is situated pictur- esquely in the mountains. Here is his grave, where his body reposes, and the lock of his house, which he insisted upon taking with him.
 "The Khoja was contemporary of Tamerlane's and served the conqueror as privileged court jester. Now the Khoja is saint to people of his town and his grave works miracles. The stories told of the Khoja are without number; they are the humor of Tur- key and the legacy of the olden fun master.
 He was an evasive priest and sought fearfully to escape his reli- gious duties, such as the preaching of sermons He dreaded the task of de- livering sermon and won his first fame in squirming out of this duty.
 "'Oh, Moslems,, he said one Friday in the pulpit, do you know what I am going to say to you? No they answered. And no more do l. the Khoja said and left the mosque Next Friday he put the same question and, thinking to catch him, the congregation answered, Yes If you do, then 1 needn't tell you the philosopher re- piled, and made off again. The fol- lowing Friday, to his usual question the congregation sought to entrap him xxvtkL OF I< h11f some of us don't Then let those who know tell those who don't the Khoja said, and went away On the next Fri day the congregation decided to keep silent and see what their priest would do. The Khoja put his set inquiry and, receiving no response, made this evasion: Dear me! 1 am quite alone; nobody has come to mosque today Whereupon he went home.
 "The Khoja and two friends bought ram and two lambs in the market, each paying an equal share. Arriv- ing home, his friends asked how they should make tho division. That's easy said the Khoja, You two will take one lamb, and the ram and l the other
 His wife woke him one night from surly sleep and asked him to rock the baby. It has been crying for an hour she said, and now it's your turn to rock it, as half of it is yours Let my half go on crying, he yawned, turning over. You can go on rocking your half, if you want to-
 "The Khoja dreamed one night that someone was offering him nine coins. He was not satisfied, but wanted ten. In the midst of the trouble he awoke and found his hand empty. Bitterly disappointed, he closed his eyes again. held out his hand and said, I have changed my mind. will take nine
 "One day the Khoja left his cloak upon his donkey and thief made off with the garment during the masters s absence. Discovering his loss, the Khoja berated the donkey thoroughly. demanding what it had done with his cloak. Receiving no reply, he took the saddle off the beast and said, Very well, then, when you give me back my cloak I will give you back your sad dle.'
 sThe Khoja put his COW up for sale. His auctioneer took it through the streets, calling out, Who will buy a fine COW, COW whose milk is like cream? Dear me- the Khoja nut. tered to himself, what a lucky thing it is that heard him say that. had no idea before that she was such a good milker I could not possibly think of selling her now and he took his COW back home"