Nasreddin Hodja was a Turkish scholar of the 13th century.
He is also called as Mullah Nasruddin, Nasreddin Hoca, and Nasreddin Hodja.
He is remembered for his satirical style, blunt mannerism, and anecdotes.
One day Nasreddin’s neighbor came to him for his advice.
The neighbor lived in a small house with a large family.
It was uncomfortable for him to live in a tiny house with his wife, mother-in-law, and three kids.
He wanted Nasreddin Hodja to help him out.
Nasreddin knew that this man is asking for something that is beyond his reach.
He was not a magician who can cast a spell and make the house big.
But he was blessed with humor and wits.
So Nasreddin asked his neighbor, how many chickens he had in the barn?
His neighbor replied that he had 5 chickens.
Nasreddin told him to keep all the chickens in the house.
The neighbor was shocked.
But he did not question Nasreddin’s wisdom.
The neighbor returned the next day.
He complained that the situation had turned bad.
With the 5 chickens, it was difficult for him and his family to live in the house.
Nasreddin was calm as a summer sea.
‘Do you have a donkey?’ Nasreddin asked his neighbor.
The neighbor replied with a ‘Yes’.
Nasreddin advised him to bring the donkey in the house.
The neighbor was bewildered.
Nasreddin assured him that this will solve his problem.
The next morning, the neighbor returned with a gloomy face.
He complained that the last night was horrible.
The donkey and the chickens took the entire living area.
His family could not sleep properly.
Nasreddin was not moved by the plight of his neighbor.
‘You have lambs, don’t you?’ inquired Nasreddin casually.
‘Yes I have two,’ the neighbor reluctantly answered.
‘Bring those two lambs in the house,’ advised Nasreddin.
The neighbor protested this time.
But Nasreddin assured him to have faith in his advice.
The next morning the neighbor returned in a miserable condition.
His sunken eyes revealed that he had a sleepless night.
He complained to Nasreddin that with the lambs, the chickens, and the donkey in the house; the family could not even breathe.
His mother-in-law had threatened to kill him.
And his wife had threatened to leave him.
‘Why had you done this to me?’ the neighbor bemoaned.
Nasreddin was calm as usual.
‘Now, it’s time to take all the livestock out of the house’, Nasreddin said to his neighbor.
The next day the Neighbor returned with a winning smile.
“Now our house is spacious, we can sleep peacefully, the kids can play comfortably, and everyone is happy”, the neighbor reported gleefully.
Nasreddin had solved the problem creatively.
He knew that his neighbor cannot buy a spacious house, nor he can throw some of his family members out of the house.
Even if he gets a bigger house, his wants will never be satisfied.
Human wants are unlimited.
The only way to solve this problem was to make him realize that his present house has enough space to live a comfortable life.
Don’t give them what they want, give them what they need. -- Joss Wheldon
He is also called as Mullah Nasruddin, Nasreddin Hoca, and Nasreddin Hodja.
He is remembered for his satirical style, blunt mannerism, and anecdotes.
One day Nasreddin’s neighbor came to him for his advice.
The neighbor lived in a small house with a large family.
It was uncomfortable for him to live in a tiny house with his wife, mother-in-law, and three kids.
He wanted Nasreddin Hodja to help him out.
Nasreddin knew that this man is asking for something that is beyond his reach.
He was not a magician who can cast a spell and make the house big.
But he was blessed with humor and wits.
So Nasreddin asked his neighbor, how many chickens he had in the barn?
His neighbor replied that he had 5 chickens.
Nasreddin told him to keep all the chickens in the house.
The neighbor was shocked.
But he did not question Nasreddin’s wisdom.
The neighbor returned the next day.
He complained that the situation had turned bad.
With the 5 chickens, it was difficult for him and his family to live in the house.
Nasreddin was calm as a summer sea.
‘Do you have a donkey?’ Nasreddin asked his neighbor.
The neighbor replied with a ‘Yes’.
Nasreddin advised him to bring the donkey in the house.
The neighbor was bewildered.
Nasreddin assured him that this will solve his problem.
The next morning, the neighbor returned with a gloomy face.
He complained that the last night was horrible.
The donkey and the chickens took the entire living area.
His family could not sleep properly.
Nasreddin was not moved by the plight of his neighbor.
‘You have lambs, don’t you?’ inquired Nasreddin casually.
‘Yes I have two,’ the neighbor reluctantly answered.
‘Bring those two lambs in the house,’ advised Nasreddin.
The neighbor protested this time.
But Nasreddin assured him to have faith in his advice.
The next morning the neighbor returned in a miserable condition.
His sunken eyes revealed that he had a sleepless night.
He complained to Nasreddin that with the lambs, the chickens, and the donkey in the house; the family could not even breathe.
His mother-in-law had threatened to kill him.
And his wife had threatened to leave him.
‘Why had you done this to me?’ the neighbor bemoaned.
Nasreddin was calm as usual.
‘Now, it’s time to take all the livestock out of the house’, Nasreddin said to his neighbor.
The next day the Neighbor returned with a winning smile.
“Now our house is spacious, we can sleep peacefully, the kids can play comfortably, and everyone is happy”, the neighbor reported gleefully.
Nasreddin had solved the problem creatively.
He knew that his neighbor cannot buy a spacious house, nor he can throw some of his family members out of the house.
Even if he gets a bigger house, his wants will never be satisfied.
Human wants are unlimited.
The only way to solve this problem was to make him realize that his present house has enough space to live a comfortable life.
Don’t give them what they want, give them what they need. -- Joss Wheldon
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