The Porter's Three Pieces of Advice
Instead of paying the porter, the Hodja gives him three pieces of advice; the porter gives the Hodja a fourth, using the bowls on his back.
Tap a word to see it in Turkish · Long press to translate the whole sentence.
One day Nasreddin Hodja bought a basket full of clay bowls at the market. The basket was heavy. He hired a porter: "Carry this basket to my house." "How much will you pay me, Hodja?" asked the porter. "I won't give you money. I'll give you three pieces of advice worth gold," said the Hodja. The porter thought for a moment. "The Hodja's advice is worth something," he said, and agreed.
The porter swung the basket onto his back, and they began to climb the hill. When they were a third of the way up, the porter said, "Hodja, give me the first piece of advice." The Hodja stroked his beard: "If anyone tells you that hunger is better than a full stomach, don't believe him." "True," said the porter.
Halfway up the hill, the porter asked for the second piece of advice. The Hodja said: "If anyone tells you that walking is better than riding a horse, don't believe him." "That's true too," said the porter, and he trudged wearily on.
When they reached the door of the house, before putting the basket down, the porter asked for the third piece of advice. The Hodja said: "If anyone tells you that poverty is better than wealth, don't you ever believe him." The porter stopped for a moment and looked at the heavy basket on his back and at the Hodja. Then he let the basket drop from his back to the ground. The bowls smashed with a crash!
The Hodja was dumbfounded: "What have you done, my boy?" The porter smiled: "Hodja, you gave me three pieces of advice. Let me give you one: if anyone tells you that none of these bowls is broken, don't you ever believe him!"
At first the Hodja was angry, then he could not help laughing. "My boy, you're right. I tried to pay for your work with advice. Advice is a fine thing, but the reward for sweat is bread."
The Hodja invited the porter in. He gave him a purse of coins and offered him some of the food his wife had cooked. The porter gathered up the pieces of the broken bowls and arranged them around the base of a flower pot in the garden. The next day he went to the market and bought the Hodja two new bowls with his own money: "These are from me, Hodja."
This story tells us: a worker's due should be paid before the sweat on his brow has dried. Advice is a lovely gift, but it cannot take the place of labour.
The tale ends here. Sleep well.
The Porter's Three Pieces of Advice is a children's tale from Nasreddin Hodja, suitable for ages 6-12 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.
Sign up and your favorites and reading list follow you on every device.
