Hodja Nasreddin and the Donkey – A Turkish Fairy Tale about Wisdom and Humor

Brief Description: A humorous story about how Hodja Nasreddin used his wit to retrieve his stolen donkey. A moral tale with humor for children.

One day, Hodja Nasreddin went to the market riding his donkey. This donkey was his faithful companion, and Hodja took care of him like a friend. When he arrived at the market, he tied the donkey outside and went inside to do some shopping.

When Hodja returned, the donkey was gone. The rope lay on the ground, and no one had seen where the animal went. Hodja thought for a moment: how could he get his donkey back without wasting time?

So, he climbed up to a platform in the center of the market and loudly addressed the crowd: "Listen, good people! Whoever brings back my donkey will receive a special reward. This is no ordinary donkey: he knows my secrets and always comes back to me. If kept too long, he will start talking about everything he has seen and heard!"

The people in the market whispered and laughed at Hodja’s words. But among them was a thief who had indeed stolen the donkey. Hearing Hodja's words, he became afraid: "What if the donkey really starts talking? What if he tells them I stole him? Then I’ll be exposed!"

Without wasting time, the thief led the donkey around the corner and tied it nearby, hoping someone would find it. Then he quickly left to avoid being caught.

Soon, someone noticed the donkey and brought it back to Hodja. "Look, here is your donkey!" said the man. Hodja looked at his donkey and smiled. "Thank you for bringing him back. You see, I told you this donkey always solves everything. He always returns to where the truth lies!"

The people laughed again, and Hodja took the donkey and headed home. On the way, he patted him on the neck and said, "My friend, you’ve proven that sometimes the truth doesn’t need words."

The Moral of the Story: This story teaches that intelligence and quick thinking help find solutions to difficult situations. Honesty and resourcefulness always triumph over deceit.

Questions about the story:

• How did Hodja Nasreddin come up with the idea to get his donkey back?
• Why did the thief get scared by Hodja’s words?
• What lesson does this story teach?