The Hodja and the Ducks by the Lake
When the Hodja cannot make duck soup, he dips his bread in the lake: "Duck-water soup."
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One day, as Nasreddin Hodja was walking by the lake, he saw some ducks. "If I could catch one of those, my wife would make a delicious soup," he said. He crept closer. The ducks fled into the water. He tried again; the ducks swam farther out. The Hodja ran, stopped, lay in wait; the ducks were always one step beyond him.
At last he got tired. He sat down. He took his bread out of his bag. He dipped the bread in the water of the lake and began to eat.
Someone passing by asked: "Hodja, what are you eating?"
The Hodja dipped the bread in the water once more and said with relish, "Duck soup."
The man laughed: "Hodja, that's just water!"
"Never mind," said the Hodja. "The ducks swim in this water, the flavor must have soaked in. I couldn't catch the duck; at least let me drink its water."
The ducks looked on from a distance and laughed, quack quack. The Hodja laughed too. His belly was not full, but his spirits were high. Because laughing with what you have is better than being angry about what you cannot get.
The tale ends here. Sleep well.
The Hodja and the Ducks by the Lake is a children's tale from Nasreddin Hodja, suitable for ages 3-8 and about 1 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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