Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1916-01-27
TURKISH MARK TWAIN
kHoJA or AosHEHlR IS EMPIRES
RENOWNED HuMoRisT.
FlourIshed Five Centuries Ago. But
His Wit IL Remembered and Ap- !
prselased Today Specimens
That Have Been Translated

prsolased Today ~ Specimens
That Have Been Translated.
While the arts and sciences have
languished 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 socIe. progress
has been left too largely to the unhur.
ried care OF fate, the Ottoman empire
has. nevertheless. produced one ere.
alive genius, the Khoja of Aqshehir,
the renowned humorist around whose
name all the fun OF nation has gath
ered.' begins bulletin issued by the
National Geographic society, which
tells Of the great man born, nurtured
and buried Ia AQshehir FIVE centuries
ago The bulletin continues;
"Khoja Nasr ed-Din was an Imam,
a sort OF Mohammedan country par
son, naive, illiterate, happy-go-lucky
fellow, part clown, part gentle philoso-
pher, and altogether thoroughly com,
zeal and human. The reason Of the
Khoja's existence was his legion Of
funny adventures. He was remiss
priest, a shiftless citizen and an exas-
perating husband His native town
lies about ITO miles from Konia. IN
Asia Minor, and is situated pictnr-
esquely in the mountains. Here Is hts
grave, where his body reposes, and the
lock of his house. which he insisted
upon taking with him.
"The Khoja was contemporary Of
TamerIane's and served the conqueror
as a privileged court jester. Now the
KhoJa is a saint TO people of his town
and his grave works miracles. The
stories told OF the Khoja are without
number; they are the humor or Tur-
key and the legacy Of the olden fun
master.
'He was an eyasive priest and
sought fearfully TO escape his reli-
gious duties, such as the preaching Of
sermons. He dreaded the task Of de-
, livering a sermon and won his first
fame in squirming out Of this duty.
"tOh, Moslems,' he said one Friday
in the pulpit, do you know what /
am going 10 say to your 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. II you do, then j
needn't tell you. the philosopher re.
piled, and made on again The fol-
lowing Friday, to his usual question
the congregation sought to entrap him
sith the answer, Some OF as do. but
some Of us don't. Then let those who
know tell those who don'e.' the khoia
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 bis set inquiry
and, receiving no response, made this
evasion: Dear mel | am quite alone;
nobody has come 70 mosque today.
Whereupon he went home.
"The Khoja and two friends bought
a ram and two lambs In the market
each paying an equal share Arriy-
ing homo, his friends asked how they
should make the division That's
easy. said the Khoja, You two viii
take ona lamb, and the ram and ! the
ether
eHls NifcsAoke him one night from
"a curly sleep and asked him to rock
tho baby. II has been crying for an
hour. she said. sand now IT'S your turn
to rock IL, as half OF it IL yours. Lei
my hair go on crying, he yawEed
turning over. You can go on rocking
your half, IL 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 awokt
and found his hand empty. Bitterly
disappointed. he closed his eyes again
held out his hand and said, 4 have
changed my mind / viii take nine
Zone day the Khoja left his cloak
upon his donkey and a thief made on
with the garment during the masters
abscnee. Discovering his loss, the
Khoja berated the donkey thoroughly
demanding what II had done with hip
cloak Receiving no reply, he TOOK
the saddle off the beast and said. VERY
well. then, when you give me back my
cloak | win give you back your sad
die.
The Khoja put his COW up for sale
His auctioneer took 1t through the
streets. calling out. Who win buy 0
fine COW, COW whose milk Is lik.
cream Dear nae, the KhoIa nut
tered to himself, what lucky thine
Il 10 that heard him say that | had
no idea before that she was such )
good mixer. could not possibly THAI
OF selling her now and he took HE
COW back home"