My Donkey Is Lost, Thank Goodness
When his donkey goes missing, the Hodja gives thanks; when people ask why, he gives a lovely answer.
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One day Nasreddin Hodja's donkey went missing. From morning till evening the Hodja searched every corner of the village: he looked behind the barns, walked around the fields and went down to the stream. No donkey.
In the late afternoon he came to the village square. He raised his hands to the sky and prayed out loud: "Thank you, Lord! A thousand thanks!"
The villagers gathered round him in surprise. "Hodja, your donkey is lost. Why are you giving thanks? Shouldn't you be sad?"
The Hodja stroked his beard: "I'm giving thanks because I wasn't riding it when it got lost. If I had been on its back, I would have got lost along with it. Now the donkey is lost, but I'm here. Isn't that something to be thankful for?"
The villagers roared with laughter. But one of them, seeing the Hodja so cheerful and untroubled, said, "Hodja, you keep laughing, and we'll look for your donkey." The whole village took lanterns and went out to search. At midnight they found the donkey in an orchard, fast asleep under a cherry tree.
The Hodja hugged his donkey: "My donkey, when you were lost, I gave thanks. When you were found, the whole village rejoiced. So even a loss turns out well for the one who is thankful."
This story tells us: when something happens to us, being thankful that it wasn't worse makes our burden lighter. And a cheerful face also brings friends to our side to help.
The tale ends here. Sleep well.
My Donkey Is Lost, Thank Goodness is a children's tale from Nasreddin Hodja, suitable for ages 5-12 and about 2 minutes long. Read it free on Masal Merkezi, play a lullaby or nature sound in the background, tap any word to see its Turkish meaning and save it to your favorites. For similar tales browse the Nasreddin Hodja category.
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