THE HIKAYAT

Nasreddin Hodja had just arrived from his trip to Arabia. All neighbours and friends gathered in the Hodja's house to welcome him and to listen to the adventures of his voyage.

'Hodja Effendi, did you learn any Arabic?' they asked.

'I did learn some Arabic, yes indeed.'

'So tell us, in Arabia, what do they call an elephant?'

'You asked a very big one. I can't be expected to know such big ones.' the Hodja dismissed.

'What do they call a flea?'

'That's too small. I don't know such small ones.'

'Then what do they call a lamb?'

'They don't call a lamb, they wait until it grows and becomes a sheep, then they call it "ganem".'