The Sermon

During one of his many voyages, Nasreddine Hodja arrived in a village one day and, thinking it such an attractive place, decided to stay there a while. The village's inhabitants were quite pleased, as it was deemed quite a honour that a wise man of Nasreddine's renown should choose to stay in their little town.

On Friday at prayer time, they all gathered together to listen to Nasreddine Hodja's sermon, but on this particular day he didn't really feel like talking so he stood up at the pulpit and said, "Do you know what I'm going to speak to you about today?" "No!" said the congregation. "In that case," said Nasreddine "You don't deserve to hear my sermon." With that remark, he left the mosque.

All during the week, the people in the village discussed the matter with each other and decided to say "yes" on the occasion of prayer time. That Friday, Hodja stood up at the pulpit and, not having any particular desire to speak, asked the same question: " Do you know what I'm going to speak to you about today?" "Yes!" answered the congregation. "In that case," said Nasreddine "It's not necessary that I waste my time telling you" and he left the mosque.

Once again, all week long, the people in the village discussed the matter with each other and found another solution: next time, those sitting on the left would say "yes", those sitting on the right would say "no" and thus Nasreddine would be obliged to offer them a sermon. The following Friday, still not having any desire to speak, Nasreddine stood up at the pulpit and asked the same question: " Do you know what I'm going to speak to you about today?" "Yes!" answered the people sitting on the left; "No!" shouted those on the right.

Nasreddine leaned on the pulpit, gazed at them a moment and then said, "Will those of you who know what I was going to say tell those who don't." Then he left the villag