The Holbrook news., 1917-03-23
TURKISH MARK TWAIN
KHOJA OF AosHEHIR IS EMPIRES
 RENOWNED HUMORIST.
FIourished Five Centuries Ago, But His Wit Is Remembered and Ap- preciated 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 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 nation has gath
 cred" begins a 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, a sort of Mohammedan country par son, a naive, illiterate, happy-go-lueky 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 a remiss priest, a shiftless citizen and an exas- perating husband. His native town lies about 11O 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 a 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 Fur 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 a 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 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 with the answer, Some of us do, but 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 evasion: Dear mel I am quite alone; nobody has come to 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 home, his friends asked how they should make the division. That's easy said the Khoja, You two will take one lamb, and the ram and the other
 His wife woke him one night from a 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, have changed my mind. I will take nine'
 "One day the Khoja left his cloak upon his donkey and thief made off with the garment during the masters 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.'
 ''The Khoja put his COW up for sale. l His auctioneer took it through the | streets, calling out, Who will buy 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. I had no idea before that she was such a good milker. could not possibly think of selling her now,' and he took his COW back hOme"