The Death of the Borrowed Cauldron
The Hodja, who once said "your cauldron gave birth", doesn't return the cauldron the second time: "What gives birth can also die."
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Once Nasreddin Hodja borrowed a cauldron from his neighbour. When he gave it back, he put a little pot inside it. When the neighbour was surprised, he said, "Your cauldron gave birth, and this is its baby." The neighbour was very pleased and took both the pot and the cauldron.
A few weeks went by. The Hodja needed the cauldron again and knocked on his neighbour's door. This time the neighbour gladly handed over the cauldron without a second thought. Maybe it will give birth again, he thought to himself.
But days went by, and the cauldron did not come back. A week passed, then two weeks. The neighbour could not wait any longer and knocked on the Hodja's door: "Hodja, when are you going to bring back my cauldron?"
The Hodja bowed his head and said in a sad voice: "My condolences, neighbour. Your cauldron has died."
The neighbour jumped: "What? Can a cauldron die, Hodja? What nonsense is this!"
The Hodja answered calmly: "Neighbour, you believed that your cauldron gave birth. Why won't you believe that it died? What gives birth can also die."
For a moment the neighbour did not know what to say. Then he realised that the Hodja was teaching him a lesson. The first time, when he took the little pot, he hadn't said a word, because it suited him. Now that it didn't suit him, he was objecting.
The neighbour was ashamed and laughed: "Hodja, you're right. When it suited me, I believed it, and when it didn't, I didn't." The Hodja laughed too, went inside and brought out both the cauldron and the pot: "Here, neighbour. Your cauldron and its baby are both perfectly healthy. I was just playing a little joke on you."
As he took the cauldron, the neighbour gave the pot back to the Hodja: "This pot is really yours, Hodja. The cauldron didn't give birth. You gave it to me as a present." And the two of them laughed together.
This story tells us: it isn't fair to believe at once whatever suits us and to object to whatever doesn't. We should weigh the truth on the same scales, whether it brings us gain or loss.
The tale ends here. Sleep well.
The Death of the Borrowed Cauldron 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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