The Center of the World

Three scholars came to Aksehir. Everywhere they went they asked people hard questions, and when they got no answer they said, "This place has no scholar," and moved on. In Aksehir too they sat down in the square. The people said, "Let's call our Hodja."

The Hodja came on his donkey. The first scholar asked: "Where is the center of the world?"

The Hodja drove his staff into the ground: "Right here." "How do you know?" "If you don't believe me, measure it. If it comes out one span short, I lose."

The second scholar asked: "How many stars are there in the sky?"

The Hodja pointed at his donkey: "As many as the hairs on my donkey." "How do you know?" "If you don't believe me, count them. If there is one more or one less, I'll take back my word."

The third scholar, the most cunning, asked: "How many hairs are there in my beard?"

"As many as the hairs in my donkey's tail," said the Hodja. "If you don't believe me, you pull out one hair, and I'll pull one from the donkey's tail. In the end we'll know."

The scholar clutched his beard: "No, no, there's no need, I believe you."

The three scholars got up and gathered their things. As they left, one asked: "Hodja, do you really know these things?"

The Hodja laughed: "I don't know. But you don't know either. The difference is this: I know that I don't know."

The scholars never came to Aksehir again. And that day the people of Aksehir learned where the center of the world is: the spot where the Hodja drove in his staff.