202 Jokes of Nasreddin Hodja

Istanbul, Turkey: Orient Touristic Publishing Service LTD, 2010. First Edition . Trade Paperback. Very Good. 6 1/2" X 9 1/4. 95 Pages with 45 full-page color cartoon on the left side and the applicable joke will be next to the cartoon. No defects noted and illustration and text pages are near flawless. Hodja is one of the most loved and celebrated personalities of Turkey and the entire Middle East. His fame has spread throughout the world. Even Peking has published a folklore book containing stories about the Hodja in English as well as in Chinese. It is believed that he was born in Horto, a village in the province of Sivrihisar, Turkey, in the year 1208. He was the son of Abdullah Efendi and his father was the Imam of the village. He lived during the reign of the powerful and terrible Sultan Timur Leng. Ever since earliest childhood, Nasreddin Hodja was reputed to be very clever and cunning, as well as humorous. He seemed to have an answer for every situation that was not only comical but also had a note of encouragement. He tried to live a happy life of honesty and simplicity. It is said that he brought joy and happiness to many during his life. And even now his words live on in the hearts and lives of many. The name Nasreddin means Helper of the Faith. The word Hodja was an honorary title given him denoting him as a scholar or learned person. With this title he was allowed the privilege of wearing a special white turban. When he was older he had a long white beard which gave him a distinguished look of respectability, a man that others would look up to for counsel and advice. It is believed that he died in the year 1284, and was buried in a cemetery near Aksehir. His tomb was fronted by a very large door, that was securely barred and locked, so that no one could go through the door. But an interesting paradox is that the tomb didn't have any walls around it, only this large door. The Hodja wanted it this way as perhaps his last joke, that he thought seemed quite fitting. The tomb was restored to its present state in 1907. One thing that he definitely had was a good sense of humor. Often, under the almost unbearably tense and frightening circumstances, his timely jokes seemed to save people's lives and their nerves.