Nasreddin Hodja: Turkey’s Holy Fool

Transcript

Voice 1  

Welcome to Spotlight. I’m Liz Waid.

Voice 2  

And I’m Colin Lowther. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is
easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.

Voice 1  

We begin today’s Spotlight with a story. It begins on a cold day in the country of
Turkey.

Voice 3  

It was a cold winter day. A man wearing many heavy clothes noticed Nasreddin outside.
Nasreddin was wearing very little clothing. "Mullah," the man said, "I am wearing all
these clothes and I still feel a little cold. But you are not wearing much at all. How are
you not affected by the weather?"

"Well," said Nasreddin, "I do not have any more clothes, so I cannot afford to feel cold.
But you have plenty of clothes. So you have the freedom to feel cold.

Voice 2  

This clever story is about Nasreddin Hodja. Nasreddin is one of Turkey’s most well-
known traditional characters. But he is known far beyond Turkey. He is famous for his
intelligence. And he is equally famous for his humour. People show him as a round man
with white hair and a turban on his head. He is usually riding a donkey. And he is often
riding the donkey backwards, facing the wrong way! Nasreddin showed how things in
society and the world are often backwards. His stories show the world from a different
point of view. And people love to tell his stories even today. Today’s Spotlight is on
Nasreddin Hodja.

Voice 1  

People disagree about whether Nasreddin was a real historical person or not. But many
people say he was an educated man who lived in the area we call Turkey today. He was
born around the year 1200. Nasreddin was known as a wise man, teacher and an Islamic
judge. But what makes him special and well-loved is his sense of humour. Nasreddin
told stories that were funny but also true. They showed people different ways to think,
especially about culture and religion. People laugh at Nasreddin Hodja because he is
funny. But his stories also make people think.
Voice 2  

Nasreddin told thousands of stories. These stories are all similar in some ways. Most of
Nasreddin’s stories have a lesson about culture or people. Sometimes, they just look at a
situation differently. For example, Nasreddin often told stories that showed the bad side
of things that people thought were good. Or they showed the good side of things people
do not value. This story is about living a rich life.

Voice 3  

Mullah Nasreddin was eating a poor man's meal of chickpeas and bread. His neighbor
also claimed to be a wise man. The neighbor was living in a huge and magnificent
house. He ate rich meals provided by the emperor himself. The neighbor told Nasreddin,
"If only you would learn to only say good things to the emperor and serve him as I do.
Then you would not have to live on chickpeas and bread."

Nasreddin replied, "And if only you would learn to live on chickpeas and bread, as I do.
Then you would not have to only say good things and live as a servant to the emperor.

Voice 1  

Most of Nasreddin’s stories also have a similar style. They begin with a setting. Then
there is a conversation between Nasreddin and another person. Often someone asks
Nasreddin a question. Then he answers it. Most of Nasreddin’s stories are very short.
Here is an example of how quickly Nasreddin shows a different view:

Voice 3  

Nasreddin sat on a river bank. Someone shouted to him from the opposite side, "Hey!
How do I get across?" Nasreddin shouted back, "You are across!"

Voice 2  

Nasreddin continues to be an important symbol in Turkey. That is probably because

many of Nasreddin’s stories also have a real message about the world. His stories
address real problems in culture. They look at how wealth affects people and society.
Using stories is a way to teach, but also make people laugh. The stories can encourage
change without being threatening. Rich Heffren says Nasreddin is a good example of a
holy fool. He writes in the National Catholic Reporter:

Voice 4  

“The holy fool, or the fool as wise soul, is a kind of person in many wisdom traditions.
There are figures like this in the Russian Orthodox tradition, the Sufis of Islam, Zen
Buddhism, Christianity, and the Hasidic movement of Judaism. Such fools make us
laugh and make us confused. They are trickster figures. They are silly on purpose. They
succeed in breaking through a layer of resistance or disbelief. Holy fools turn our
spiritual traditions upside down and inside out. Jesus tells stories called parables that do
that same thing. This way we can more easily see the truth within them.”
Voice 1  

The humble Holy Fool now has a place of honour in Turkey and the area around it. And
his stories are for people of all kinds. Men, women, and children all enjoy listening to
and telling his stories. Nasreddin’s stories are widely known and retold. People have
written them into hundreds of books. There are many pieces of art showing Nasreddin.
There are statues of him all around the country. The city of Akşehir even holds an
International Nasreddin Hodja Festival every year. During the festival, people tell
stories, celebrate and even dress up like Nasreddin. Nasreddin Hodja will always have a
very special place in people’s hearts and lives. We finish today’s Spotlight program
with one more story from Nasreddin Hodja.

Voice 3  

“The moon was shining late one night. A friend saw Nasreddin walking back and forth
in the street in front of his house. He was bent over to the ground. "What are you doing,
Teacher?" said the friend. "I have lost my keys and am looking for them," replied
Nasreddin. The friend agreed to help look for the keys. They both continued to look on
the ground. Finally the friend asked, "Where did you lose your keys?" "I lost them in
the house," said Nasreddin, "but there is more light out here."

Voice 2  

Have you heard of Nasreddin Hodja? What do you think of him? Do you have a
traditional storyteller in your culture? You can leave a comment on our website. Or
email us at radio@radioenglish.net. You can also comment on Facebook at
Facebook.com/spotlightradio.

Voice 1  

The writer of this program was Rena Dam. The producer was Michio Ozaki. The voices
you heard were from the United States and the United Kingdom. All quotes were
adapted for this program and voiced by Spotlight. You can listen to this program again,
and read it, on the internet at www.radioenglish.net. This program is called, ‘Nasreddin
Hodja: Turkey’s Holy Fool”

Voice 2  

Visit our website to download our free official app for Android or Apple devices. We
hope you can join us again for the next Spotlight program. Goodbye.

Question:
Have you heard of Nasreddin Hodja? Is there a traditional storyteller in your culture?