Comenius Multilateral Project

“LAUGH AND THINK WITH INTERCULTURAL ANECDOTES”

2010 – 2012

Project No: 2010-1-TR1-COM06-13688-4

ŞCOALA CU CLASELE I-VIII PÂNCEŞTI, NEAMŢ

LAUGH AND THINK WITH INTERCULTURAL

ANECDOTES BOOKLET

(WITH STUDENTS’ ANECDOTE CARICATURES)

IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER

BULGARIA

ENGLAND

HUNGARY

POLAND

PORTUGAL

ROMANIA

TURKEY

BULGARIA Osnovno uchilishte "Maksim Gorki", Levski

www.maksim-gorki.com

ENGLAND Orton Wistow Primary School, Peterborough

www.owps.org.uk

HUNGARY Eötvös József Általános Iskola, Budapest

www.eotvos232.hu

POLAND Szkola Podstawowa w Cynkowie,

Kozieglowy

PORTUGAL

Agrupamento de Escolas do Ensino Básico

2-3 Marquesa de Alorna, Lisboa

www.marquesa-alorna.pt

ROMANIA Şcoala cu clasele I-VIII Pânceşti – Neamţ

http://scoala-pancesti.piczo.com

TURKEY

Mustafa Urcan Ilköğretim Okulu, Izmir

(coordinator school)

www.mustafaurcanioo.k12.tr

BULGARIAN CARICATURE

How Cunning Peter and Nasreddin Hodja met

FIRST ANECDOTE

Take the Sound of the Silver

Clever Peter went downtown to the Fair. He was going around from

a stall to a stall, when suddenly he felt smelled of something delicious.

Peter looked around and noticed the nearby inn and in front of it, a stove

with a simmering pot on it. His hunger was straight away stimulated by

the steam of the meal but he had no money in his purse.

"I must eat somehow!" – the poor Peter thought.

He stopped at the stove, looked at the pot, pulled out a piece of dry

bread from his bag, kept it over the steam until it softened, and then ate

it. Meanwhile, the inn-keeper was looking at what Peter was doing.

When Peter finished eating his bread, he got up, shook the crumbs off

from the bag, wiped his mouth and chin and began to leave.

- Hey, wait! Where are you going? – The inn-keeper stood in Peter’s

way.

- What? Me? I am going on my way! - Peter replied.

- You didn’t pay me!

- What for? – Peter wondered.

- For the meal!

- I only kept the bread above the pot - to soften it a little with the

steam!

- For the steam you must pay! Today and it costs money! insisted the

inn-keeper and grabbed Peter by the collar.

At that time, people came by to hear the argument. Peter looked at

them, smiled and asked them:

- People, which of you will give me one piece of silver to pay off

this wicked inn-keeper. I will pay it back right away.

Several people loosened their purse strings. Clever Peter took only

one piece of silver, and passed it by two fingers to the inn-keeper:

- Here you are – for all to see. I am paying you for the steam, which I

ate, take the ringing of the silver as payment!

"Ding…

Clever Peter dropped the silver on the pavement ... People scoffed at

the greedy inn-keeper, and Peter was congratulated for his wit.

SECOND ANECDOTE

The Working Man Dresses Nice and Eats Well

Clever Peter had a nephew and one day the boy came to visit him.

The weather was rainy, the courtyard and the streets were muddy. While

playing games, the boy soiled his legs and clothes. In the evening Clever

Peter said:

- Now, my boy, wash your feet and clean your clothes from the

mud.

- Uncle Peter, why do I have to wash and clean my clothes because

tomorrow, like I play, I will get dirty again! - replied the boy.

Clever Peter got sad that his brother's son is not taught to be kept

clean, and on the top of all he is lazy. He decided to give him a good

lesson. In the morning, he said:

- Come on, my boy, get the shovel, the broom and go clean the

yard, where the donkey slept last night…

- Uncle Peter, why are you always looking to give me work? -

replied the boy and stretched himself. - What is the benefit from the

current cleaning? The donkey will make it dirty again tonight.

- Ok, if you say so! Peter turned his head and pretended to be

convinced.

In a while the little boy came out, and Clever Peter told his wife:

- Today you and me will eat in secret. Do not give him any food.

Put the bread in the pantry and lock it.

- But why, Peter? The boy is our guest, isn’t he? We don’t treat our

guests like this- the woman asked.

- We treat our guests as they deserve! Peter laughed.

Sometime later the child got hungry. He often looked at the house

and waited for inviting him for breakfast. When Peter came out, he

asked him:

- Uncle, aren’t we going to eat?

- No, nephew, we no longer eat at home! - Peter replied seriously

and went for work to the village.

The boy started to look at his aunt, but she gave him nothing to eat,

nor cooked at all.

At noon Peter came back home, him and his wife went inside and

had their lunch secretly. The boy hung around for a while and because

he was already very hungry, asked again:

- Uncle, what time are we going to eat?

- Are you hungry? - Peter laughed.

- Yes, I am!

- Are you really hungry?

- I am starving!

- We will not eat anymore, my boy!

- But why? he wondered.

- Why? Let me explain to you. You said there was no need to clean

your clothes and to wash yourself because you would get dirty again,

didn’t you? Right? Well… I have decided we will not eat anymore

because what's the point of eating if we only will get hungry again!

The boy, his uncle Peter and his aunt laughed. Embarrassed, the

boy immediately started to clean his clothes and wash himself,

meanwhile his aunt began to cook and to set the table, and his Uncle

Peter twisted his moustache and said:

- The working man dresses nice and eats well!

THIRD ANECDOTE

The Poisonous Banitsa

Cunning Peter was a poor boy. He was bound apprentice by his

father to a local wealthy man for food. The wealthy man had no children

and lived alone with his wife. Peter helped at home: took water, cut

wood, picked weed and nettle for the pig. One Sunday morning, the master’s wife rolled out sweet milk

banitsa (a kind of Bulgarian pastry). The banitsa was not normal banitsa,

it was one for rich people, with more sugar, eggs and butter. When the

dish was baked brown and delicious, the mistress covered it with a cloth

to make it stifled and soft. Then she got dressed, called Peter, and told

him:

- Peter, I am going to church. Cut the wood and don’t let anyone to

go into the house. Oh, and do not eat the banitsa! I made a mistake;

instead of salt I put poison in it! You will poison yourself!

Having been left alone, Peter hung around the house but he always

had a look at the baking pot. He was very hungry and did not believe the

lie about the poison. He raised one of the ends of the covering cloth, felt

the pleasant smell of the pastry, swallowed and could not bear anymore

– pinched a piece and took a bite. He enjoyed the pastry a lot ... Without

much thinking, he started eating with pleasure until the dish was half

gone!

Then Peter went to the chopping log and took the axe to cut wood.

But swiping at the wood, he broke the axe handle. He went back to the

house, laid on the couch and as he was tired and not hungry anymore,

fell asleep immediately. When the mistress came back home, she found

him sleeping tight, saw half of the banitsa was left and poked him.

- Peter, Peter!

- What? – the boy startled, jumped and rubbed his eyes.

- Why did you eat the banitsa?

- Well… ,whimpering, Peter said: While I was cutting wood, I

broke the handle of the ax by accident. I was afraid of you not to beat me

and decided to poison myself. I ate the pastry and laid down to die...

The gullible woman believed him, began to laugh and forgave him.

FOURTH ANECDOTE

Eaten or not eaten – it will cost 3.50!

Passing through a village, Cunning Peter dropped by an inn to eat

something. He sat on a bench and put his bag beside him. There were

some other travellers at the table with him. Everyone wanted a meal,

Cunning Peter also ordered food. Having eaten, there was plenty of food

and fruit left on the table.

The others paid for their meal and Cunning Peter pulled out his

money pouch to pay. The innkeeper told him:

- You have to pay three and the half more silver coins for your bag.

If you didn’t leave it beside you on the bench, one more person would

have sat at the table, ordered food and I would have earned more money.

Cunning Peter became angry but then changed his mind and said:

- Okay, here you are another three and half silver coins! He took

his bag down from his shoulder, opened it and said:

- Eat now, my little bag, I have just paid for your meal! And he

started to put all that was left on the table in his bag.

The innkeeper got angry and rushed to take the bag, but the other

travellers told him:

- You are not right, buddy! The guy has the right, he paid for the

bag!

Cunning Peter threw his bag on his shoulder and went away while

the innkeeper was still filled with rage. Wise people say: “You sow what

you reap!”

FIFTH ANECDOTE

Three Pieces of Advice

It was a market day. Cunning Peter was walking on the streets.

The village pub owner was standing in front of a shop. When he saw

Peter he asked him:

- Peter, are you busy with work?

- No, I am not! Peter replied.

- Can you help me? I have bought bottles and glasses. This basket

is full of glassware. Take it to my pub by the car.

Peter took the basket and left.

- Let me tell you something! – the pub owner stopped him. – I

have no money because I have spent all of it on glassware; I have only

one silver coin left. I will give it to you and I'll tell you three pieces of

advice.

- That’s fine! - Peter fit the load on his back and left.

As they were walking, the pub owner said:

- Peter, wait a minute. The first piece of advice which I have

promised to you is: "If someone tells you that it is better to lie than to

work, do not believe him! It is always better to work than to waste

time!"

- Oh-oh, thanks for the good advice. That’s the first time I’ve heard

that! - Peter said, smiled and kept walking carrying the basket.

In a while the pub owner stopped Peter again and said:

- Wait, Peter, and stop for the second piece of advice.

- Well, let me hear it! - Peter said and stopped as he rested the

basket with glassware on a fence.

- If someone tells you that it is better to eat too much than be

hungry - do not believe him! Because if you eat too much you will have

nightmares!

- Oh, boss, to be honest that is clever story and I like it the most! If

I lived another thousand years, I might not ever hear it from someone

else! Thank you very much! - Cunning Peter laughed, wiped the sweat

from his forehead and kept walking.

When they got to the pub, the pub owner stopped Peter for the

third time and told him:

- Peter, let me tell you the last story.

Peter stopped and said:

- Tell it!

- If someone tells you that there is sillier transporter than you - do

not believe him!

- I have heard that before, boss, but if someone tells you that there

is unbroken glassware left in the basket - you do not believe him either!

– Peter laughed and dropped the basket on the pavement...

SIXTH ANECDOTE

How Cunning Peter has eaten the whole lamb

Nasreddin Hodja and Cunning Peter went for a walk in the Pirin

Mountain – to the Papaz chair. They roasted themselves a lamb, and sat

down to eat it up. But being too greedy, they both were wondering how

to cheat each other.

Nasreddin Hodja said:

- Come on, Peter, let’s eat!

- I think - Peter replied, - before eating, we should have a nap.

After we wake up we will tell each other our dreams. Whoever’s dream

is more interesting, he will eat the whole lamb.

They went to sleep. But Cunning Peter did not fall asleep. After

they woke up, Cunning Peter said:

- What did you dream, Hodja?

- It was a wonderful dream! I dreamt that I had gone to heaven!

- Look, what a miracle! I also dreamt that you had gone to heaven!

And as I stayed on the ground alone, I thought you would not come back

anymore so I ate the whole lamb.

SEVENTH ANECDOTE

How Cunning Peter and Nasreddin Hodja met

Nasreddin Hodja lived in Anatolia, in Asia Minor. He was very

famous for his lies and jokes. Once he heard about a Bulgarian, Cunning

Peter who was as good as him, and left for Bulgaria to find him.

Cunning Peter also learned about Nasreddin Hodja and wanted to meet

him. He told his wife:

- My dear, put some bread, bacon, peppers, wine and stuff in the bag.

I’m going to find Nasreddin Hodja.

And they left on their two donkeys - one from Anatolia, the other

from Bulgaria.

Nasreddin Hodja rode and rode until he came to a field called

Chorlu Field in Thrace, near Chorlu village. It was long with no grass or

trees, only thorn bushes. He got bored not meeting any other people.

Cunning Peter came to this field as well. Suddenly he saw a man on a

donkey back coming toward him. The Hodja also noticed the man riding

a donkey towards him.

As they met, Hodja said:

- Merhaba! - It meant - Hello!

Cunning Peter replied:

- Hello!

They got off their donkeys, let them graze and put their cloths on

the ground and prepared to eat. Cunning Peter took out peppers, bacon,

wine, Nasreddin put on the table-cloth roast chicken, boiled eggs and a

gourd full of water.

Having eaten, they lit a cigarette, and understood that they were

different, they were not the same religion. Cunning Peter said:

- Where are you coming from?

- I am coming from Constantinople - Hodja replied.

Sly Peter asked him:

- What's in Constantinople? I am going there because it is a very

famous city. I am going to stay there for two or three months, to see how

local people live.

- Don’t go to Constantinople, turn back - Hodja said - a big bird

has flown over and has spread its wings over the city and squawks and

screams all day! Now the city is under its’ shadow, people have gotten

ill and they are running everywhere!

- Well, if you are running from Constantinople, where are you

going? – Cunning Peter asked him.

- I'm going to Bulgaria.

- Do you know that I am running from Bulgaria? A large egg fell

there, a million tonnes, and it has destroyed all of Bulgaria! There were

no people left alive! I saved myself and I am running to Constantinople!

Nasreddin burst into laughter:

- Hey, do you think I am a fool? Where does such a big egg come

from?

- Hey - Cunning Peter answered him; -it was from that bird that

first came to Bulgaria, laid its egg and then flew to Constantinople!

Looking in each others eyes, Nasreddin Hodja and Cunning Peter

thought to themselves at the same time: This man is very clever! He lies

more than me!

- Where are you from, buddy? - Nasreddin Hodja asked.

- I am from Bulgaria - Cunning Peter replied.

- And what is your name?

- My name is Cunning Peter.

- Well I'm looking for you!

Cunning Peter also asked him:

- Where are you from and what’s your name?

He replied:

- I'm from Anatolia and my name is Nasreddin Hodja.

- Well, I'm looking for you, too!

So this is how Cunning Peter from Bulgaria and Nasreddin Hodja

from Turkey met.

They realized that they both were clever and cunning people.

FIRST ANECDOTE

You can’t teach an old dog new tricks!

Martin sat and laboriously filed his accounts. Every Friday, for

more than 40 years, he had sat in this tiny office sorting the accounts for

the small Florists shop he owned. He put income in one tray, and output

in another. The papers sat piled up beside him. His desk overflowed with

documents.

“I’m never going to finish this tonight” he sighed.

He sat for a further hour and methodically sorted his papers.

Eventually, the piles began to diminish. Just then his daughter came in.

“Dad, why do you sit doing your accounts in this way? It takes so

long. Why don’t you use the computer?”

“I am used to doing it in this way. Yes, it takes a while but I know

what I am doing.”

“You’re mad!” exclaimed his daughter. “A computer would do it

in half the time!”

“Yes. You are probably right” Martin sighed “but you can’t teach

an old dog new tricks”.

SECOND ANECDOTE

The Value of Words

It was the night of the school reunion. More than 20 years had

gone by since they had all been at school together. Jane was excited, but

nervous too.

“How will everyone look now?” she thought. “How will we all

have changed?”

A faint smile played on her lips as she remembered her school

days. It seemed a lifetime ago. But then a frown formed on her brow.

Sally Potter! She had forgotten about her. Sally Potter had made her

school days sad and lonely at times. Sally Potter with her constant jibes

and bullying had spoilt school for Jane. Jane thought of that last day,

when Sally had waited until the end-of-year prom to do her worst. Jane

wore an exquisite dress. It had cost her mum a fortune. She had shoes to

match, also expensive, and beautiful flowers in her hair. Jane had to

admit, she was one of the loveliest girls in the room. Sally had glared at

her when she walked in, but Jane had felt proud. But later on that night,

Sally had come up to her table, and while leaning across the table to

pour a glass of blackcurrant juice, had spilt a whole jug onto Jane’s

dress. It was ruined.

“You did that on purpose!” cried Jane.

“Of course I didn’t!” exclaimed Sally, but Jane noticed that she

smiled and pulled a face at her when the others were mopping up the

spilt drink.

“My dress was ruined. My night was ruined” remembered Jane.

All these years later and she still seethed with hatred for Sally.

The night of the reunion arrived. Jane had to admit she looked

stunning. She walked into the room on the arm of her husband Luke. It

was lovely to see her old friends, it was as though all the years slipped

away and they were schoolmates again. Just then, Jane felt a tap on her

shoulder. She turned, and was astounded to see Sally standing there.

Jane could feel the memory of the prom night bubbling up inside her,

but before she could speak Sally said:

“I’m glad I got to see you, Jane. I wanted to apologise. I made your

school life horrible by my bullying and spiteful behaviour towards you.

It was because I was jealous of you, because you were so pretty and

popular. I have often thought of how terrible I must have made you feel

and I am ashamed. I don’t expect you to forgive me, but I wanted to say

this to you anyway. I’m sorry”.

Jane looked at Sally. She really did look sorry. All the bad feelings

she had felt towards her melted away. It had happened a long time ago.

They were different people now.

“I accept your apology” said Jane “Now let’s go and get a drink.

I’m dying of thirst!”

“You forgive me?” questioned Sally. “I don’t understand!”

“Come on, Sally! A drink! It’s in the past. Let’s let sleeping dogs

lie” and grabbing Sally’s arm, Jane led her to the bar.

THIRD ANECDOTE

You scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours!

It was official. David’s life was over. He had two pieces of

homework to do, and only one night to do them in. Mr. Smith was not

going to let him away with this one. It would be a month of detentions

for him now.

“Drat!” exclaimed David. “I knew I shouldn’t have gone out

playing football last night. I knew this work needed done, but I still ran

out as though I didn’t have a care in the world! That’ll teach me!”

David sighed and set about his Maths homework first. An hour

passed, and then there was a knock at the door. It was Ben.

“Hi! What are you doing here? We need you on the team! We are a

man down and we’ll never beat the bulldogs if we are a man down!

Come on, David. We need you!”

“I can’t come” moaned David. “I have two pieces of homework to

be done by tomorrow. I’m never going to be able to finish them. Old

Smithy is going to kill me!”

“I’ve done all mine!” smiled Ben. “It was easy!”

“Yeah, well you’re good at Maths and I’m not” sighed David.

“Come on, mate. You promised me you’d play on my team” said

Ben, suddenly serious.

“I can’t, Ben. I’m sorry. But I doubt I’ll be able to finish one piece

of homework tonight, let alone two! I have to stay in.”

“I’ll tell you what” Ben calmed. “The English homework is easy.

It’s comprehension and will only take a short while. You can do it when

you get back”.

“But the maths!” cried David. “What about the maths?”

“I’ll do the maths” Ben said.

“You will?” questioned David. “Why?”

“I’m only going to do it this once” said Ben firmly “You should

have done it already. But I really need you to play on the team. You play

tonight, and I will do your maths homework when we finish. Ok?”

Both boys smiled and shook hands.

“You scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours!” they said in unison.

FOURTH ANECDOTE

The Treasure of Callow Pit

Today, you could get rich quick by winning the lottery, but, long

ago, poor people stayed poor and finding a horde of treasure was your

only hope! The idea of buried treasure or gold has inspired many a myth

or legend and one such story involves Callow Pit.

The pit lies on the boundary of the parishes of Southwood and

Moulton in Norfolk. There is a tradition that an iron chest, filled with

gold, is hidden deep in its depths!

One summer's day, many years ago, two daring and adventurous

young men noticed the unusually low level of the water in the pit and

grasped their chance. Times were hard and a chest full of gold would

transform their lives. They felt it worth the risk of falling into the dark

forbidding waters.

The young men were determined to obtain the gold, so they formed

a platform of ladders that bridged the pit and slowly and carefully

searched the dark waters.

After much difficulty, they found the chest and passed a pole

through the ring of the chest lid. With a great effort they hauled it up

from the waters.

Jubilant, the young men placed the pole on their shoulders and

prepared to bear off their prize across the bridge of ladders.

They laughed as they clasped the chest and one of them cried,

"We've got it safe. Not even Old Nick (the devil) can get it from us

now!"

In an instant, the pit was enveloped in a cloud of steam with a

strong choking sulphurous smell; a black hand and arm rose from the

depths and, emerging through the water, grasped the chest.

A terrific struggle took place - the young men pulling to secure the

chest, the devil to recover it. It was an uneven contest.

Unable to bear the enormous strain, the chest was ripped from the

pole by which the men had it secured and the chest, with the gold, sank

beneath the water, never again to be seen by a mortal eye.

The young adventurers carried away nothing. Well, that is not

quite true, for there was one reminder of their tussle with the devil as,

during the struggle, the ring of the chest had snapped away and was still

attached to the pole!

The young men placed the ring on Southwood Church door, where

it still serves to close the door and to remind those who visit the church,

both of the truth of the legend and the danger of challenging the devil.

As for the mysterious pit, although the devil's hand has never been

seen again, it is said that a headless horseman rides at midnight, from

Callow Pit to a place called Cantley Spong, a distance of about a mile.

So the pit may still have new mysteries and stories to tell.

FIFTH ANECDOTE

The Split Grey Goose Feather

You might have a few feathers at home in your duvet, pillow or

cushions but, in the time when Charles I was king, feathers were bought

and sold for mattresses and quills with which to write. There was

another important use of grey goose feathers for the fenlanders of East

Anglia, a tradition that went back a very, very long way.

If you saw a grey goose feather split down the middle, then that

meant that somebody was in need of help. All fenlanders would carry a

grey feather and, when in need, they only had to produce the split feather

and all true fenlanders would help them.

During the English Civil war, in 1646, when King Charles I was on

the run from Cromwell's troops, he had to flee across the fens to escape

capture. The king had been given refuge at Fordham in Norfolk.

Not far away, in the village of Southery, lived a publican, well

known for his knowledge of the fenland tracks across the dangerous

marsh. One day, the publican was visited by two very fine looking

gentlemen with thoroughbred horses. They asked the publican if he

would guide the king across the marshes to Huntingdon, where his

forces were waiting to escort him. When he saw the gold on offer, the

publican's eyes lit up.

That night the publican was brought before the king. Some of the

king's attendants were not sure that he could be trusted with the king's

life. When questioned, he drew from his pocket a grey goose feather. He

took out his knife and cut the feather in half. He put one half in his

pocket and gave the other half to the king.

"I am a fenlander," he said. "Now by my honour I can do nothing

but aid His Majesty; for all fenlanders must protect one carrying this

token even if it means their death."

The publican was indeed an expert guide. The men changed their

thoroughbred horses for two sturdy fenland ponies. First crossing

Southery fen and then Littleport fen, they soon came to the ford in the

river just outside Huntingdon. Their hearts sank, as the crossing was

brimming with Cromwell's men.

All was not lost though; the publican took out the split grey feather

and held it up. The troops looked to the exhausted king, who did the

same. The two travellers were then ushered through to safety. The

publican returned home with his gold, to his pub and a stable with two

fine horses and, on this occasion, the king got clean away.

When he heard what had happened, the officer in charge of the

troops was furious.

"These men were meant to ensure the king did not escape!" he

fumed.

The sentries were brought before Cromwell. Cromwell, who was

born in Huntingdon, knew of these fen traditions and was lenient with

his troops. It was better, he said, for a king to escape, than for a fenman

not to help a man with a split feather in his hand. He was to be haunted

by these words.

Eventually, the king was captured and sentenced to death. The

night before the sentence was to be carried out, an emissary from the

king arrived while Cromwell was at supper.

The messenger said, "Sir, His Majesty does not ask for mercy as he

is God's anointed monarch. All that His Majesty asks, is that he is

afforded that due to one who holds this token."

To everyone's surprise, except Cromwell's, the messenger

produced a split grey goose feather from his pocket and placed it on the

table before Cromwell.

Cromwell's face went white and he dismissed all those who were

gathered with him. All that night Cromwell sat and stared at the goose

feather, fighting with his conscience. The next morning, Cromwell was

found still sitting at the table and still staring at the goose feather.

But Cromwell did not intervene for the king. The next day, the

king was beheaded on a scaffold outside the Banqueting House at the

Palace of Whitehall, London. Failure to honour the fenland tradition

troubled Cromwell's conscience for a long time to come.

Men who had served him loyally and well were not happy.

Cromwell's life became even harder to bear, when some of his men sent

back to him bent or broken split feathers that he had given to them, when

they promised to fight for him. They told him they were going back to

the fens, where there were still men who kept their word and would

never be false to the old traditions!

SIXTH ANECDOTE

The Legend of the Fens

The fens have their own special gods but it takes a special kind of

person, and a special situation, to get the gods on your side. Mandru, the

Celtic chief, knew just how to do it! Unfortunately, the Romans did not.

The Fenlands run from Lincoln in the north to Cambridge in the

south. Only a sophisticated drainage system prevents the fens becoming

water logged. However, legend has it that the fens were once much drier,

providing a landscape of lakes and forests.

It was a landscape in which the Romans saw many opportunities;

the large areas of dry wooded land, the fertile soil and the well-stocked

lakes along with the beds of reed and alder, which could be harvested

and used. The Fens were worth the time and effort it would take to claim

them, or so the Romans thought.

To oversee the Fenlands, the Romans sent Valerian, a tyrant, who

governed with little respect for the local people or their customs. Matters

came to a head one day when he captured Rowena, daughter of the

Celtic chief Mandru, and forced her into slavery.

On hearing of his daughter's capture, Mandru gathered his

countrymen together. They made plans to overthrow the Romans but,

while they were doing this, the Roman guards suddenly attacked and

took the Celts prisoner to the palace of Valerian.

Here they were tortured and put to death - all except Mandru, who

managed to escape. He went into hiding and carefully laid his plans.

Unlike the Romans, he knew how to engage with the local gods of

water, the sky and of dreams.

Several months later, a stranger came to town warning all the

Celtic slaves to leave the town by nightfall.

That night, those who had stayed were awoken by a great gale;

they saw the town gates had been opened, so they took a chance and

made their escape.

They met up with more Celts who had escaped from other

settlements. Some were unsure of what to do next but the stranger

appeared again and revealed himself as Mandru. He told them the gods

were very angry and that they must make haste to higher ground

immediately.

The power of the storm increased to a tempest and, at midday, the

Romans thought they saw a cloud moving swiftly towards them. The

cloud turned into a great wall of swirling water, which swept up

everything in its path, including the Romans and their houses. Where

there had been forest, the land appeared like a sea scattered with small

islands, so powerful was the water.

Mandru led his countrymen back, in triumph, to these lands and

declared them for the marsh-men. The damp atmosphere often saw the

fens covered with a thick long-lasting mist. In these lands, the hardy and

resourceful marsh-men stayed, using all their skill as fishermen and

wildfowlers to survive the hostile conditions.

Although the Romans continued to drain parts of the Fens, creating

Akerman Street, a tract running from Kings Lynn to Cambridge, large

areas were left alone. After all, you never quite knew what was lurking

in the misty vapour of the fenland night!

SEVENTH ANECDOTE

Devil's Dyke

Many places in this area have names, which seem to suggest

'strange goings-on' in the past. The Devil's Dyke is a large ditch,

stretching from the Suffolk Hills to the fen edge at Reach. The name

'Devil's Dyke' probably came from a belief that the land had been shaped

by some supernatural force! It is an area steeped in myths and legend.

Long, long, ago, when the area around Reach was a forest, there

lived a chief called Hrothgar. He lived at a time when gods and demons

were thought to control the earth and one demon in particular was

terrifying - the fire demon!

To the horror of the chief, it appeared that the fire demon desired

his beautiful daughter, Hayenna. Hrothgar told his daughter not to

worry, as his very good friend, the water god, was the sworn enemy of

the fire god. He knew that the water god could communicate between

the under and over world and would keep her safe.

One night Hrothgar had a dream. In his dream, an old man

appeared and told him that the fire demon had a new ally in the tempest

god.

"You must prepare for a great battle", the old man told him. The

next day, Hrothgar told all the giants of the forest his plans.

First, they cut down all the trees to make a wide clearing. During

the next three days, they built a great ditch from the river to Mount

Dithon (Wood Ditton), many feet deep and seven miles long.

The tempest god had watched their work with interest and scorn.

Just as they were starting to tire from the hard work, he sent a great

storm to blow down the trees on top of them. The storm also brought

rain, hail and snow in great quantities. The giants of the forest rounded

on Hrothgar, saying he should not have angered the gods and should not

have crossed the powerful fire demon.

"Do not be afraid," Hrothgar told them. "My good friend, the water

god will protect us."

At that very moment, the rain ceased. Suddenly, under a great

cloud of smoke, a terrifying wall of fire rushed towards the ditch. All but

Hrothgar fled. Despite his fear, he came out from shelter and, with his

bare hands, dug away the remaining strip of earth, separating the River

Cam from the ditch.

The water poured into the ditch with a mighty, deafening roar! The

fire demon was powerless against this mighty wall of water and the fire

died down, the tempest stopped and his daughter was safe.

Rejoicing, the local people placed treasured items in the new

stream, to thank the water god for his help. The ditch, the Devil's Dyke

is still there. The fire demon never troubled the population of Reach

again.

However, not all the demons have disappeared, for there have been

many sightings of a large black dog with fire in his eyes. He is said to

bound along Devil's Dyke, his blood-red eyes as big as saucers, guarding

the dyke and, some also say, the treasure buried deep beneath it.

Hungarian caricature

Stone soup

FIRST ANECDOTE

The Magic Jacket - The little apprentice -

by Ferenc Móra

Performer:

• Ferkó, the little apprentice – F

• His mother, Mrs Móra – M

• Mrs. Baker – B

• Mr Gergulics, the merchant – G

• Panna, the little customer – P

Locale: a little village, a bakery and a bookstore

Properties: table, chair, bookshelf

F: - Mom! I’m hungry!

M: - My dear sun! Here is a little bread.

F: - Mom! I would like to work! I want to earn money!

M: - It’s impossible! You are only 10 years old.

F: - No! I heard: Mrs Baker is hunting high and low for an apprentice…

M: - Get into your jacket, and go!

M, F: - Good morning, Mrs Baker!

B: - Morning! Can I help you? Bread is not in trick.

M: - We heard: You are hunting an apprentice… My son would like to

be an apprentice.

B: - He seems too lank. He is very young.

M: - Yes, he is.

F: - No! I’m 11.

B: - He can't stand the heat.

M: - No, he can’t.

B: - I suggest that you should try it in the bookshop. It will be easier.

M: - Thank you. Good bye!

B: - God bless you!

M, F: - Good morning, Mr Gergulics!

G: - Welcome, Mrs Móra! What can I do for you?

M: - Mrs Baker sad: you can employ my sun.

G: - The boy is very young. Can you read?

F: - Yes, I can!

G: - Read!

F: - Robinson Crusoe

G: - And this?

F: - The knight and the dragon

G: - Very good! The boy is clever! Can you count?

F: - Yes, of course!

G: - Look! How much is it?

F: - 2 penny

G: - How much is that?

F: - 3 penny

G: - Together?

F: - 5 penny.

G: - To be admitted! I must go to the town. If you can begin now, and

will be good merchant: I’ll give you 2 penny a day. Is it correct?

M: - Thank you so much! It is perfect!

G: - Make an effort, my young friend! Memorize: first row – 2 penny,

second row – 3 penny, third row – 5 penny

M: - Be a good merchant! See you afternoon!

F: - Mr Gergulics! Don’t worry, be quiet! Good bye!

P: - I’d like to buy a book. Have you got Robinson Crusoe?

F: - No. I haven’t. Choose another book, please, or some gingerbread

instead of it!

P: - How much is it?

F: - Go away!

P: - Yippi! Search for Robinson! You will get some gingerbread! Go to

the bookshop!

Ferkó is reading.

After the students rived the shop:

G: - What… What happened? You are a bad hat! I went smash! Get out!

SECOND ANECDOTE

What is the most in the world?

King Matthias met with his four senior advisors and after the

meeting they laughed and joked together.

As usual the court jester was with the King, who asked.

What is there most of in the World?

Kinizsi said: Poor people

Kids, because there are more children than poor people.

There is more grass than kids.

But there are more stars on the sky than grass on the ground.

Matthias looked at the court jester, who was sitting in the corner.

My friend, what do you think? What is there most of in the world?

I think, my friend, there are more doctors than anything else in the

world.

They all laughed, and the king laughed, too.

You are really a crazy man, my friend, if you think this.

The court jester stood up and went to the next room, because the

lords laughed at him.

After a minute, they heard the court jester’s horrible howling.

Immediately it was reported to the king that the nice court jester was ill,

and perhaps he was dying. The lords stood up, the king as well, and they

hurried to the court jester to see what happened to him?

He was lying on the floor, moaning bitterly.

Where do you feel pain?

What’s wrong with you?

He said nothing, he just kicked his legs in the air and shouted when

somebody touched him. They were sorry for him, and wondered what

they should do?

He needs to be bled!

Bring leeches quickly, and he will be better soon.

Pour a bucket of cool water over him.

Kinizsi braced himself.

No, I’ll massage his damned body and I know he will recover

immediately.

But all the people who came into the room said something

different: they advised hot wine, cold water, medicinal herb, and they

couldn’t hear because they kept interrupting each other.

The jester then sat up and said ‘Do you see the dozens of doctors in

the room, my friend? If there are so many doctors in a small place, how

many are in the world?

Matthias was glad to hear the court jester speak and he wasn’t

angry that the court jester had played a trick on him and his senior

advisors.

THIRD ANECDOTE

Stone-Soup

Characters:

- old woman

- young girl

- young man (Soldier)

S: Good evening. Is there anybody here?

Old woman: Who are you? What do you want here?

S: I’m a peasant, I’m going home. I’m very tired. Can I get a bed?

O: Yes, of course. Come in.

S: Auh! Oh!

girl: Are you ill?

S: No, I’m not…. But I’m so hungry. Can I get some food?

O: I’m sorry, but I haven’t got any food.

S: Oh, what a pity! Look: it’s a stone. Can I have some water?

girl: Oh, yes, you can. The well is over there.

S: Can I get a big pot?

girl: Yes, of course, you can.

S: Can I make a fire?

girl: Why not?

S: Then I’ll go to get some firewood.

O: Do you think you can cook some soup from it?

S: I don’t think – I know.

girl: I’m so excited! S: So Am I.

O: Is it boiling?

S: Yes, it is. Can I get a spoon? And some salt?

O: Yes, you can.

A spoon …. and a little salt.

S: Hm! It’s very good.

O: Do you like it?

S: Yes, I do.

O: Can I taste it?

S: I’m afraid you won’t like it. If only I had a handful of millet!

O: I have some …… I have just a handful of millet. Is it ready?

S: Yes, I think it is. Oh, if only you had some fat!

O: But I have….. Yes, I have just a little fat.

S: How do you like it, dear women?

O and girl: It is very good. I like it!

S: If only we had some bread!

O: You are right, we should have some bread with it.

Stone-soup! I can’t believe it. But it’s true: if you are clever, you won’t

go hungry.

FOURTH ANECDOTE

The Little Rooster and the Diamond Button

Once upon a time there was a little bower, where an old lady and

her pet rooster lived. One day the Little Rooster went out into the yard

and scratched and scratched and suddenly he scratched out a diamond

button.

- Cock a doodle doooo! I like diamond buttons! I’ll take this home

to my good mistress. She likes diamond buttons too.

He was walking home when he met the Sultan. He was a very important

man in the land of Turkey. He saw the Little Rooster with the diamond

button.

- Give me the diamond button, little rooster!

- I will not!

- Than I will take it away! Hey, footmen, catch that Little Rooster.

Take his diamond button from him and put it in my treasure chamber in

the palace.

The Little Rooster went home without his diamond button.

- Hello, Little Rooster. Where were you?

- In the yard. I found there a diamond button, but the bad Sultan

took it away. But I will get back!

- Take care, my darling. Come home soon. Be lucky.

Next day the Little Rooster flew up to the Turkish Sultan’s

window and crowed:

- Cock a doodle dooo! Sultan! Give me back my diamond button!

- I will not! Hey, footmen, throw this little Rooster into my deep-

deep well full of water!

And they did! But the Little Rooster had a magic stomach and he

started to cried out:

- Come, my Empty Stomach. Come, my Empty Stomach. Drink up

all the water in this well.

His stomach began to drink. He drank and drank and drank. He

drank up all the water in that well. And he flew up the Turkish sultan’s

window and crowed:

- Cock-a-doodledoooooo! Sultan! Sultan! Give me back my

diamond button!

- I will not! Hey, footmen, catch that Little Rooster and throw him

into a fire. That will be the end of him.

But the Little Rooster cried out.

- Come, my Empty Stomach... Come, my Empty Stomach. Spit out

all the water from the well and put out the fire.

The Little Rooster’s stomach spat out all the water from the well

and put out the fire. So it couldn’t burn him at all. And he flew up the

Turkish Sultan’s window and crowed:

- Cock-a-doodle-doooo! Sultan! Give me back my diamond button.

- I will not! Hey, footmen, catch that Little Rooster and throw him

into a bee hive. Let the bees sting him.

But the Little Rooster cried out:

- Come, my Empty Stomach. Come, my empty stomach, and eat

up all the bees in the bee hive!

His stomach ate up all the bees in the bee hive. They buzzed

around inside but couldn’t sting his magic stomach. He flew up to the

Turkish Sultan’s window and crowed:

- Cock-a-doodle-dooooo! Sultan! Give me back my diamond

button.

- I will not! What will I do with him?

- Chop off his head – said the first servant.

- Hang him from the highest tree – said the second one.

- Sit on him and squash him – said the third one.

- This is the very good idea because I am a very heavy man. Catch

that Little Rooster. Drop him on my throne and let me sit on him and

squash him!

But the Little Rooster cried out:

- Come, my full stomach. Come, my full stomach and let out all

the bees and sting that Sultan!

- Oh oh! Ow Ow! OOO OOO!” footmen, catch that Little Rooster.

Take him to my treasure chamber and let him have his old diamond

button. I never want to see him again.

- Take your diamond button and go home – said the man at the

Treasury.

- I will take the diamond button and the gold and silver, the

emeralds and rubies….. Come, my empty stomach! Come my empty

stomach and eat up all the treasure in the Sultan’s treasure chamber.

- It doesn’t matter. I still have enough treasure left – said the

Sultan.

His stomach did that, and when he was very full, he waddled

home.

- Look. What I have brought for you – and showed the diamond

button to his good mistress.

- It’s fantastic! It will be enough until the end of our life. And they

lived richly and happily ever after.

FIFTH ANECDOTE

Dog Market in Buda

Once upon a time there was a mean and funny man who tried to

cheat everybody. Once this man came home from Buda and he began to

boast about it. He told he got money for dogs he had sold in Buda. A

poor man heard this and asked him how he got so much gold. The mean

man said:

"Well, I was in Buda and I got to know that the king needed a lot

of dogs and he paid a lot for them. I bought dogs and took them to the

king. Look, I've got much money for them. Why don't you do the

same?"

The poor man believed everything. He sold his thin cow and

bought lots of dogs instead of it. He went to the castle to visit the king

but the guards didn't allow him to enter. The poor man became very sad

because he realized that he was made a fool.

King Matthias looked out of the window and he caught sight of the

man crying. He ordered the poor man to come in front of him. The man

told Matthias how he had been cheated. The king pitied him but

remembered the name who mocked the poor man. He let the dogs run

away and rewarded the poor man with a hundred gold coins.

When the mean man heard this, he became greedier. He sold everything

he had and bought dogs, too. The guard didn't want to let him into the

castle but the king called him to himself. He recognized him to be the

cheater. He told him:

" I'm very sorry, but you're late. There was only once a dog market

in Buda."

The man had to leave empty-handed.

He got what he deserved for cheating innocent people.

SIXTH ANECDOTE

King Matthias and the Daughter of the Judge

Once upon a time, King Matthias heard about a judge who was

never sad.

“Good for him,” the king said. “If that is his only problem, then I

can give him some trouble.”

He ordered one of his attendants to bring a leaky jar for this judge

to repair, lest he would be executed. The attendant did as he was told,

and the judge became so sad that he couldn’t eat for days. The judge’s

beautiful daughter asked her father about his problem.

“Our king ordered me to mend this jar, lest he should execute me,”

the weary judge replied.

“But dad, this is simple. Return the jar to the king and tell him that

in order to sew it, he must turn it out. After all nothing can be sewn

without turning it out.”

“You are very clever, my dear!” the judge said, and he followed

his daughter’s advice.

The king was pleased with the answer, but he came up with a

second assignment. He sent a rock to the judge and told him to skin it.

The judge became very upset, but his daughter came to his aid again.

“King Matthias wants me to skin that rock or I’ll be executed,”

sighed the judge.

“But this is very simple, dad. Just return it to the king and tell him

that in order to skin it, the rock must be bled out first. After all, nothing

could be skinned without bleeding it,” replied the clever girl.

The judge did as he was told. The king found out that the judge’s

girl solved all his tasks. So he sent a note to her. He ordered her to visit

him, but not to come by horse, on foot, nor by chaise. She was not come

neither on the road nor on the side of the road. She must be dressed but

she must be naked as well and she must bring a present and mustn’t

bring one as well.

It was a strange request indeed, but the girl solved it. She

undressed except for a piece of cloth. She caught a pigeon and held it

between two plates. She brought out their goat and she put her right leg

on the animal. In this way she headed towards Buda.

“My king, I’m here as you requested. I came neither on foot, nor

by chaise or horse. I did not come on the road or at the side of the road.

I’m naked but there is something on me at least. And here is the

present.”

She released the pigeon and it flew away.

“Unfortunately, the present flew away so I brought one and I didn’t

bring one either,” the judge’s daughter smiled.

“Very good, dear,” King Matthias said. “You have done very well”

This is how the clever girl solved the King’s tasks.

SEVENTH ANECDOTE

King Matthias and the Beggar

King Matthias was in his court in Visegrád and he was enjoying a

joust, when an old beggar appeared in front of him. The king stopped the

game to hear the beggar’s plea.

“My dear king, please give me a big sum of money. After all, we

are both the kin of Adam and Eve, so we are brothers,” said the beggar.

The king nodded and he put a single coin in the man’s his hat.

The beggar was astonished. “My dear king,” he said, “My life is

yours, but what have I done if I only deserve a simple coin from a

brother?”

The wise king answered, “Go with God’s blessing. If every brother

of yours gives you as much as I, you will be the richest man on Earth.”

PPOOLLIISSHH CCAARRIICCAATTUURREE

““PPAAWWEEŁŁ AANNDD GGAAWWEEŁŁ””

FIRST ANECDOTE

Friends

There’s no real friendship in this world nowadays. The last

example of such I remember was found in Ottoman forest. Lived there

Mieszek a friend of Leszek, and Leszek a friend of Mieszek. Their

friendship was great: they went everywhere together and shared

whatever they had. People said that when they found a nut they divided

it into two. In a word such friends were to find nowhere. You would say:

two souls in one body.

One day they were talking about their friendship lying in the

shadow of oak.

L: You know, there’s no better friend than you.

M: Yes, I feel the same my dear friend. You’re like a brother to me.

They were talking to the sound of birds’ songs when suddenly they

heard a roar. Leszek jumping as a woodpecker along the trunk escaped

on the tree. Unfortunately Mieszek wasn’t as fit as Leszek. He raised his

hands and begged Leszek

M: ”Help me my friend!”

But his friend almost reached the peak of the tree. Mieszek had

time only to blink. He turned pale, fell down on the ground but the bear

was almost there. The animal came across the body, touched it.

Bear: “Is it dead?” It smelled it. “Yak, it stinks, it’s definitely dead.”

So it growled with disgust and walked away because Polish bears

don’t eat stale meat.

Then Mieszek came to life.

L: “You were in serious trouble” shouts to him his friend from the tree.

“You were lucky that it didn’t scratch you. But why was he sniffing you

so long, it looked as if it was whispering you something?”

M: ”Yes, it said to me the well known bear’s proverb:

A friend in need is a friend indeed.”

SECOND ANECDOTE

Paweł and Gaweł

Paweł and Gaweł live together in one house:

Paweł upstairs and Gaweł downstairs.

Paweł calm, doesn’t come into anybody’s way,

Gaweł crazy, invents the wildest adventures,

And hunts in his room

Here a dog, there a hare – between the tables, chairs,

Chases, runs, turns somersaults,

shoots and plays the trumpet, and shouts till he is tired.

Paweł puts up with it, until one day

He goes to Gaweł and asks politely:

“Please Mr, have mercy on me Mr,

hunt a little bit quieter, please!

Because my windows are breaking”

Says Gaweł: “ My home is my castle”

Paweł says nothing

He comes back home and put his hat on his head.

Next day Gaweł sleeps tightly and snores,

But suddenly something drops on his nose from the ceiling.

He jumps out of his bed and runs upstairs.

(Knock, knock) – It’s closed.

He peeps through the keyhole

And what he sees? the whole room is sinking in water,

And Paweł is sitting on the chest of drawers with a fishing rod.

Gaweł: What are you doing Mr?

Paweł: I’m fishing.

Gaweł: But Mr, the water drops on my head.

And Paweł replies: My home is my castle!

From this story a moral comes:

As you do to the others, the others do to you.

THIRD ANECDOTE

The Turnip

1. One day I planted a turnip in my garden.

I watched it everyday.

When it grew firm and strong I decided to eat it with a slice of bread.

I grabbed the turnip and pulled.

I pulled and pulled but I couldn’t pull it out.

I needed some help.

“Grandma please help me”

2. I took hold of him and we pulled and pulled but we couldn’t pull it

out.

We needed some help.

Grandson please help us!

3. I took hold of the grandma and we pulled and pulled but we couldn’t

pull it out.

We sweat, puffed, groaned heavily.

We needed some help

“Max, my dear puppy, please help us”

4. I took hold of the boy and we pulled and pulled but we couldn’t pull it

out.

We needed some help

“Kitten, please help us”

5. I took hold of the dog and we pulled and pulled but we couldn’t pull it

out.

We sweat, puffed, groaned heavily.

We needed some help

“Dear Hen, please help us”

6. I took hold of the kitten and we pulled and pulled but we couldn’t pull

it out.

We needed some help

“Dear goose, please help us”

7. I took hold of the hen and we pulled and pulled but we couldn’t pull it

out.

We sweat, puffed, groaned heavily.

We needed some help

“Dear stork, please help us”

8. I took hold of the goose and we pulled and pulled but we couldn’t pull

it out.

We needed some help

“Dear frog, please help us”

9. I took hold of the stork and we pulled and pulled but we couldn’t pull

it out.

We sweat, puffed, groaned heavily.

10. They didn’t stop

They gathered their strengths and pulled

When suddenly the turnip says “trrach” – they pulled out the turnip

But what an embarrassing moment it was

They all fell down at one another

the turnip at the grandpa

the grandpa at the grandma

the grandma at the grandson

the grandson at the puppy

the puppy at the kitten

the kitten at the hen

the hen at the goose

the goose at the stroke

the stroke at the frog

the frog at the grass.

Grandpa: Remember everybody:

Only united we are strong.

FOURTH ANECDOTE

Ill Pussy Cat

Mr. Pussy Cat was ill and he was lying in bed. Then the doctor

came and asked:

“How are you my dear kitty?”

“Oh, I’m bad, really bad” – and he pulled out his hand to the

doctor.

The doctor took the cat’s pulse. And that was what he said:

“You ate too much. What’s worse not mice but ham and fat. It’s

really bad…. you’ve got fever! Oh really bad, my kitty. Oh, you will

have to stay in bed for a very long time . You can eat nothing but gruel.

No sausage, no pork, no pie.

“ so maybe a tiny mouse?” the cat asked, “or just a few little birds’

legs?”

“No, heaven forbid! Leeches and strict diet and a lot of good luck”.

So the pussy cat was lying, neither sausage not ham did he try and

the mice smelled so nicely.. Look how bad gluttony is. The cat went too

far. The poor creature had to bear the punishment. So learn this lesson

children, this can also happen to you: God save us from greed!

FIFTH ANECDOTE

The Hen

Hello children. I will tell you a story. Once upon a time there was a

hen who looked down on people and world. She often expressed her

believes:

“Good upbringing is the most important thing!”

One day she invited some guests to teach them good manners. The

first entered the donkey, but he broke the jug with flowers. The hen

shouted :

“What a stupid donkey!”

Then the cow came. Just as she took the first step she broke the

window with her left horn. The angry and strict hen called:

“What a cow!”

Next the pig dirty with mud came. The hen red with anger shouts:

“For heaven sake! What are you doing! Who has seen to make

such a big mess. What a pig!”

Then was the ram’s turn. He wanted to sneak quietly and sit down

in the second row on the roost. But the roost broke down. The angry hen

said:

“What a stupid ram!”

And at the end she added:

“My lessons are useless. Nobody is able to teach these animals

good manners. Too bad! Everybody get out!”

And the guests went away. Do you think my dear children, was

this hen a well-brought up hen?

SIXTH ANECDOTE

Stefek the Brave

It is hard to find a braver boy

Than Stefek the Brave

-“I’m not afraid of anyone!

Even the bear - is not a challenge!

Wolves? – I will kill and cut into pieces the whole pack!

Those hyenas, those leopards

They are just little pussy cats!

And panthers and tigers

I will impale them on my stick!

Lion!...What is a lion? A big pussy cat!

I have read about it!

I know that beast,

It’s angry, only when hungry!

Jackal, wolf? What a terrifying animal!

It’s just a bigger dog!

(I walk around my dog Bryś very far

Because I don’t like when it barks)

I will defeat anyone who I want to!

I will cross the ocean

And I won’t be myself

If I don’t catch the whale!”

And in such way our brave boy boasts about himself for the whole day .

Until one day. He was sleeping tightly on the hay.

When suddenly he wakes up.

He looks and what he sees:

A strange animal is trying to eat his breakfast

He leaps to his feet

And screams terribly!

He runs away as fast as he can!

-“Daddy, daddy! A tiger, I saw a tiger!”

-“A tiger? Really?” – the father asks

- “Oh, a lion probably! It had hooves.

A terrible beast! It had three or four legs,

Huge jaws! And horns…”

-“Where was it?” – the father asks

- “There, on the hay.

It has just stolen my breakfast.”

So they are all going to see the place, the father and the servants

They look and what they see…. A little mouse

The field mouse sitting and nibbling the cheese.

SEVENTH ANECDOTE

A Lazy Boy

A lazy boy is sitting on the sofa,

He hasn’t done anything for the whole day.

“Oh! I beg your pardon!

How can you say that? Am I not doing anything?

Who is sitting on the sofa?

Who has eaten breakfast?

Who has twiddled his thumbs?

Who has scratched on his head?

Who has lost his boots?

Can’t you see? Hasn’t it been me?”

A lazy boy is sitting on the sofa,

He hasn’t done anything for the whole day.

”Oh! Excuse me! Haven’t I drunk the fish oil?

Haven’t I wash my ears?

Haven’t I torn a button of my shirt?

Haven’t I poke my tongue?

Haven’t I had my hair cut?

Will you call it nothing?”

A lazy boy is sitting on the sofa,

He hasn’t done anything for the whole day.

He hasn’t been to school, because he didn’t want to,

He hasn’t done his homework , because he didn’t have enough time.

He hasn’t tied his shoelaces, because he didn’t want to.

He hasn’t said “Good morning”, because it was too much trouble with it.

He hasn’t given water to his dog, because the well was too far away.

He hasn’t fed the canary, because he wanted to save time.

He was supposed to eat supper – but he just nibbled it.

He was supposed to lie in bed – but he didn’t manage to do it – he fell

asleep.

He was dreaming that he was doing something tiring.

And he got so tired with this dream that he woke up.

“I will kill you …” “Please, don’t …”

PPOORRTTUUGGUUEESSEE CCAARRIICCAATTUURREE

FIRST ANECDOTE

Teacher

The teacher asks for homework, that the students write some

sentences.

Joãozinho comes home and goes to his father and says:

- Father, tell me a sentence!

- I did nothing.

Joãozinho goes to his brother and says:

- Tell me one sentence!

- Only if you come with me.

The next day the teacher asks:

Joãozinho, your sentences?

- I did nothing.

- What? Go right now to the headmaster’s office.

- Only if you come with me.

SECOND ANECDOTE

Two Ladies Talking in Heaven

1st woman: Hi! Wanda.

2nd woman: Hi! Sylvia. How'd you die?

1st woman: I froze to death.

2nd woman: How horrible!

1st woman: It wasn't so bad. After I quit shaking from the cold, I began

to get warm & sleepy, and finally died a peaceful death. What about

you?

2nd woman: I died of a massive heart attack. I suspected that my

husband was cheating, so I came home early to catch him in the act. But

instead, I found him all by himself watching TV.

1st woman: So, what happened?

2nd woman: I was so sure there was another woman there somewhere

that I started running all over the house looking. I ran up into the attic

and searched, and down into the basement. Then I went through every

closet and checked under all the beds. I kept this up until I had looked

everywhere, and finally I became so exhausted that I just killed over

with a heart attack and died.

1st woman: Too bad you didn't look in the freezer… We'd both still be

alive.

THIRD ANECDOTE

Mother-in-law Joke (In a Zoo)

A man was with his family visiting the Zoo, when an employee

gets all flustered and says:

- Sir, sir!

The man replies:

- What? What is the problem?

- A disgrace! Your mother in law fell into the pit of alligators.

The man, mostly calm, says to the employee:

- I do not care! You have to deal with saving the alligators.

FOURTH ANECDOTE

The Teacher and Couple (in school)

There was a couple, in Lisbon, who had a daughter who thought

she was an exemplary and intelligent student, because she has always

had success in her studies. But…in the 4th grade she failed!

The father was very angry with this. He couldn’t believe what has

happened. It was not comprehensible. He went to school to get

satisfaction from her teacher.

Father: “Miss Joaquina why didn’t my daughter pass?”

Teacher: “Because she did not know history!”

Father: “…but Miss what is it history?”

Teacher: “For example, if the first king of Portugal was married,

divorced and if he had children here and there…”

Father: “Look, Miss Joaquina, I told my daughter and I warn you, too,

my daughter comes to school to learn how to read and write not to know

about anyone's life.”

FIFTH ANECDOTE

In the Street

A man finds his friend in the street and says:

- Hi, you're just like my mother, the only difference is the

moustache!

The friend says:

- But I do not have a moustache!

- Yeah, but my mother has.

SIXTH ANECDOTE

In a Police Station

A man went to the police station and said:

- I came to complain, because my mother was gone.

The chief question:

- How long has she gone?

- Two weeks!! said the son in law.

- And only now are you coming to complain?

- Is it hard to believe that I had such luck!

SEVENTH ANECDOTE

At home…

The father calls the son to wake up and go to school.

The son replied:

- Father, I don’t want to go…And I give you 3 reasons not to go:

1 - I'm sleepy.

2 - I do not like going to school.

3 – The children laugh at me.

The father replies:

- So, I give you three reasons why you have to go:

1 - Is your obligation.

2 - You have 48 years.

3 - You're the headmaster.

ROMANIAN CARICATURE

- Dear sister, I …

I came to ask you to …

To give me ... some …

Until the next spring ….

- I have! … but I don’t want to give you!

What did you do last summer?

…You sang. I’m glad. Now dance!

ŞCOALA CU CLASELE I-VIII PÂNCEŞTI

jud. Neamţ, ROMANIA

THE CRICKET AND THE ANT

FIRST ANECDOTE

Childhood Memories by Ion Creangă

"Are you selling that birdie, sonny?"

"Yes, indeed I am, gaffer."

"And what will you take for it?"

"Whatever you think it's worth!"

"Come, let's have a look at it and see what it weighs!"

No sooner had I handed it to him, than the mean wretch,

pretending to feel it for eggs, gently loosened the string round its legs

and threw it into the air, saying: "Bad luck, it's slipped out of my hand!"

The hoopoe with a whirr of its wings landed on the roof of a booth

and, having taken a short rest, flew off to Humuleşti leaving me open-

mouthed and in tears, staring after it! I then clutched at the old man's

coat to make him pay for the bird.

"What do you think you're up to, nuncle? Making so free with a

man's goods? If you didn't feel like buying it, why did you let it go? You

won't get away with it, mind you, not even with that heifer of yours.

Have you got that straight? This is no joke, you know."

And I stared the old man in the face and made such a racket that

people crowded around us to see the fun; it was better than a peepshow.

"I say, you are a tough one, my boy!" said the old man after a

while, laughing. "Why in Heaven's name are you carrying on like that,

sonny? Now wouldn't you like to get my heifer for an Armenian

cuckoo? It seems to me you're asking for a damn good hiding, you

cheeky brat, and I'll give you one, if that's what you want. I'll lay into

you so hard, my young fellow, that you'll thank your lucky stars, when

I've done with you!"

"Leave the kid alone, nuncle", said a man from our village; "he's

the son of Ştefan, son of Petra, a farmer much respected in our village;

and you'll get into trouble with him over this."

"Jolly good luck to him, my good man; do you think I don't know

Stefan, son of Petra?" the old man said; I saw him just a moment ago

stalking about the fair, with his measuring rod under his arm, looking for

cloth in the usual way of business. He ought to be around, or in one of

the booths wetting the bargain. Glad to know who you belong to, sonny.

Just wait a minute and I'll take you to your father and see whether it was

his doing that you came to sell hoopoes and make fools of us at the fair."

All was well that far, but when I heard of father my spirits sank,

and so I made my way slowly through the crowd and rushed off to

Humuleşti, looking over my shoulder to see whether the old man was

after me; for truth to tell, I was now anxious to get rid of him. You know

the jest: Leave him alone, man! I'd gladly do so but he won't let go of me

now!

SECOND ANECDOTE

The Cricket and the Ant parody by Marin Sorescu

Narrator

The hard-working ant

All the summer worked

And rich store

She gathered.

The cricket, carelessly,

In beautiful nights of May

Kept singing and singing

Sweet like heavenly whispers

To the stars light.

When the cricket was singing

His neighbour, the ant

Was listening.

Summer goes, winter comes

And the nature changes;

The cloudless nights are gone

The cricket has no food

His song gets numbed

Life tortures him.

What could he do?

He goes to the ant

For some seeds.

The cricket and the ant - Dear sister, I ……

I came to ask you to …..

To give me …….. some …..

Until the next spring …….

- No!

- A seed ….. you have a thousand.

- No!

- But everybody knows …..

- I have! … but I don’t want to give you!

What did you do last summer?

- I sang… For me …. For all the others….

- You sang!

- But you listened too!

- You sang. I’m glad. Now dance!

- I’d love to, but …. I’m hungry ….

- Dance!

- Don’t annoy me!

Do you give me or …… (fist)…..?

- No!

- You’re greedy…..

I bow myself before you

But I’ll stretch you a little bit….

Narrator

And hanging the violin

The cricket grabs the ant

And starts to kick her

And kick her, and kick her…

Then stops …. (silence)

They stood silently.

The cricket

- Now, sister, are you lending me some seeds?

The ant

-Gladly!

THIRD ANECDOTE

The Visit by Ion Luca Caragiale

Narrator: On Saint John’s day, I pay a visit to Mrs. Maria Popescu, an

old friend of mine, to congratulate her only son, John Popescu.

John Popescu is a very nice eight years old boy.

I give John a ball and Mrs. Popescu some flowers.

Author: “My respects, Mrs. Popescu! These are for you!”

Mrs. Popescu: “My God, what beautiful flowers! How kind of you!

Thank you so very much!”

Narrator: We sit down and speak about weather, agriculture, crisis etc.

Mrs. Popescu tells me about her son.

Mrs. Popescu: “To tell you the truth, when John was just a little boy it

was alright; but now, when he has grown up, I must watch him all day.”

Narrator: While we are talking, an old woman cries from the room

nearby ours.

Servant: “Look, ma’am, John wouldn’t behave himself!”

Mrs. Popescu: “John, come here!”

Servant: “Ma’am, come quickly!”

Narrator: Mrs. Popescu stands up and tries to enter the other room, but

she meets her son. He stops her with a sword in his hand.

Mrs. Popescu: “Can’t you see what may happen if you don’t behave

yourself? You were about to pull my eye off. Would you have liked to

kill me? Kiss me to forgive you!”

Narrator: John kisses her mum and goes to play with his sword. The

servant brings us the jam. John attacks her.

Servant: “Keep him away from me, ma’am!”

Narrator: Mrs. Popescu stops the boy’s attack. We start to talk again.

Author: “Do you mind if I smoke?”

Mrs. Popescu: “Of course not. My husband smokes and I think my son

likes it, too.”

Author: “This is not good. Tobacco is poison.”

John: “Why do you smoke?”

Narrator: John eats jam.

Mrs. Popescu: “It’s enough, John! You’ve already had enough jam!

You’re going to have a stomach-ache again!”

Narrator: John gets out with the jam and comes back a little later. He

takes a cigar and comes to me for a light. I don’t know what to do. His

mum tells me to light his cigar.

A little later:

Mrs. Popescu: “John! Dear! What is wrong with you?”

Narrator: I look at John and I see him fainting.

Mrs. Popescu: “My God! He’s sick! Help! My baby is going to die!”

Narrator: I keep John from falling and tell Mrs. Popescu:

Author: “Bring some cold water!”

Narrator: I give John some cold water.

A little later I say goodbye and leave the house.

When I arrive at home, I understand what John did with the jam. He put

it into my shoes.

FOURTH ANECDOTE

The Story of a Lazy Man by Ion Creangă

Once upon a time there was a very lazy man. He was so lazy that

he didn’t even chew his food.

Seeing that he did not want to work at all, all the peasants in the

village decided to hang him because he was not a good example for their

community.

One day two villagers went to the lazy man’s house. They put him

in a cart and took him to the gallows.

On the way to the gallows they met a lady. She did not know

anything about the lazy man. She thought he was ill and those two

villagers would take him to the doctor. The villagers told her that he was

lazy not ill and they were taking him to the gallows because he was not a

good example for their community. When the lady heard that, she felt

pity for the lazy man. She decided to shelter him in her barn where she

had plenty of crumbled bread for him to eat.

“What a lucky man! He is so lazy and has got a lot of good luck!”

said the villagers. “Want to go there?” they asked him.

“Is the bread softened enough?” asked the lazy man.

“What a question! I can’t believe my ears! You can soak it by

yourself, can’t you?” said the lady.

“What do you think? Want to soak the bread by yourself or not?”

the villagers asked the lazy man.

“No way”, said the lazy man. “I prefer being hung to soaking the

bread by myself”. Let’s go to the gallows! added the lazy man.

On hearing that the lady told the villagers the lazy man deserved to

be hung.

So the villagers took him to the gallows. Thus all the villagers got

rid of the lazy man.

Since then nobody in that village has dared to be lazy any more.

FIFTH ANECDOTE

Five Loaves

by Ion Creangă

Once upon a time, two men were travelling together along a road

one summer day. One had three loaves of bread in his sack, the other,

two. After some time they felt hungry and stopped in the shade of a

weeping willow next to a water well. Each took the bread out of his

sack, and so as to enjoy their meal more, they sat to eat together.

Just as they were taking the bread from their sacks, a third

traveller, unknown to them, overtook them and stopping beside them,

bade them good day. He then asked to share their food, as he was very

hungry, had no provisions, and there was no place to buy anything.

"Come, good man! Share our hospitality" said the first two

travellers to the stranger, "for, thank God, where two can eat, there is

always enough for a third.”

The stranger, being very hungry he did not wait to be asked twice,

but sat by the other two and all three ate dry bread and drank water from

the well, for there was nothing else to drink. And the three of them ate

and ate and ate, until the five loaves were all eaten, as if they had never

been there at all.

When they had finished, the stranger took five coins from his purse

and gave them to the man that had three loaves saying:

"Good fellows! Please accept this small token of my gratitude, for

you have indeed been friends. Further on, you can buy yourselves a

glass of wine each, or do whatever you please with the money. I am

unable to thank you for the kindness you have shown to me, for I was

nearly blind with hunger."

The two travellers hesitated before accepting the money, but after a

good deal of insistence on the third part they accepted. Then, a little

later, the stranger said goodbye to the others, and continued on his way.

The two companions stayed a little longer in the shade of the

willow to rest their bones. Then, having talked about one thing and

another, the one who had three loaves gave two coins to the one that had

two loaves, saying:

"Here, brother! This is your share. Do what you like with it. You

had two loaves so you ought to have two coins. For myself, I am

keeping three coins, for I had three loaves the same size as yours as you

know."

"How do you figure that?" said the other disparagingly. "Why only

two coins and note two and a half each? The man was not obliges to give

us anything. Then what would have happened?"

"What would have happened?" replied his companion. "I would

have been in the next world for my three loaves and you for your two -

and that's all. But now, the bread has been paid for by the stranger, and

we have money in our purses; me with my three coins and you with your

two; each according to the number of loaves we had. I don't see how the

money could possibly be more fairly divided."

"Oh, no, my friend!" said the one with the two loaves. "I don't

agree with your judgment. Let us take the matter to court, and will stick

to whatever the judge decides."

"Alright, come along, then. To the court," said the other "if you are

not content. I am sure the judge will agree with me, although I never

been to a court of law in my life."

So off they went, decided to take their quarrel to the law. And

when they came to a place where a courthouse was, they went before the

judge and tell their story, each giving their own version. The judge, after

hearing their case attentively, ask the owner of two loaves:

"So you are not content with your share of money, my man?"

"No, Your Honour," said the discontented one. "We had no

intention of taking the money of the stranger for the bread we gave him;

but as it turns out he gave us some, we should have divided it equally.

That is my idea on what is just."

"If it's a question of justice" said the judge: "then be good enough

to return a coin to your companion."

"Well, that astonishes me you Honour," said the discontented one.

"I came here to see justice done, and I find that Your Honour, who

knows the law, is making me even more puzzled. If the last judgment is

to be like that, then Heaven helps us!"

"So it seems to you," the judge said quietly, "but you will see that

is not the case. Did you have two loaves?"

"Yes. I had two"

"Did your companion have three loaves?"

"Yes. He had three."

"Just a moment ago you told me that you all ate the same amount;

is that right?"

"That is right Your Honour"

"Good. Now let us get it all clear, so we might know how much

bread each of you ate: let us say that each loaf was divided into three

equal parts, how many pieces did you have, for you had two loaves to

begin with?"

"I had six pieces, Your Honour."

"And you companion, who had three loaves to begin with?"

"He had nice pieces, Your Honour."

"Now, how many does that make? Nine and six?"

"Fifteen pieces, Your Honour."

"How many men ate those fifteen pieces of bread?"

"Three men, Your Honour."

"Now, try to remember how many pieces you had."

"Six, Your Honour."

"But, did you eat six?"

"Five, Your Honour."

"And how many were left over?"

"Only one piece, Your Honour."

"Do you remember how many pieces your companion had?"

"Nine, Your Honour."

"And how many did he eat?"

"Five, the same as I did."

"And how many had he left?"

"Four, Your Honour."

"Good! Now let us get this straight. You mean that you had only

one piece left over, while your companion had four pieces left; now one

piece from you and four pieces from your friend make five pieces

together?"

"Exactly five, Your Honour."

"Is it true that the stranger ate those five pieces and gave you five

pennies for them?"

"Yes, that is so, Your Honour."

"So only one coin was due you for you had only one piece left

over, and it was just the same as selling it for one coin. As for your

friend, he ought to have four coins because he had four pieces left over.

So now, be so good as to return one coin to your companion. And if you

feel that that is unjust then go to God and see if He will make a different

judgment."

The owner of the two loaves, seeing there was no other solution,

gave back a penny to his companion, very reluctantly, thanked the judge

and went off blushing.

The owner of the three loaves, however, astonished at the verdict,

thanked the judge and wet off saying:

"If there were judges like that everywhere who do not stand

nonsense, then those who are in the wrong would never appeal to the

law. And the so-called lawyers, having no longer any means of making a

living from their talking, would either do an honest job of work, or else

die of hunger. And good people would live in peace!"

SIXTH ANECDOTE

Păcală and His Father’s Hat

Narrator: We are telling you a story about Păcală, our national hero,

and his father. A story about hats; from the time when our famous folk

hero was a child. So, little Păcală goes with his father by the train to

town, to get at the fair.... They both stay on the corridor of the train, in

front of an open window. They both wear hats. The naughty boy

keepshis head out of the window all the time. Father: Păcală, be good! Keep your head inside; the wind will pull out

your hat, my son!

Păcală: Don’t worry father, my hat is tight!

Narrator: As big noise on the train, his father suddenly takes boy’s hat

out of his head and hides it.

Păcală (crying): My hat was taken by the wind, Dad! How can I go to

the fair without the hat?

Father: Did you see, my son, what happened if you didn’t listen to me?

Come on, do not cry, and be good! If you relax, I’ll blow three times and

bring your hat back. Will you listen to me?

Păcală: Yes, I will! Please, father!

Father: Close your eyes! After I blow three times, you will open your

eyes, right?

Păcală: Yes, only to find the hat!

Father: One, two, three! (Blow three times, bringing the hat from

behind and put it on Păcală’s head).

Păcală (when open his eyes): Hooray, my hat came back! Well done,

my father! You are a magician, aren’t you? Nobody has a beautiful hat

like mine!

Narrator: But look what's going! Suddenly, Păcală has got an idea! He

grabs his father’s hat and throws it out of the window.

Father: What are you doing, Păcală? You threw my hat out of the

window! I’ll beat you, naughty boy!

Păcală: Blow again, father, one, two, three, and your hat will come

back. Come on, blow, Daddy! You are a magician, aren’t you?

(Angry father begins to beat Păcală)

Păcală: Help me! My father lost his mind!

SEVENTH ANECDOTE

A New School Teacher

by Ion Luca Caragiale

The teacher: Honourable audience! We shall try to talk about the

general method of teaching grammar and, after that, about the intuitive

method of the logic of the things. So, what is Grammar?

The student: Grammar is...

The teacher: What is it? It couldn’t be such a great thing!

The student: Grammar is the science about how the language works.

The teacher: Very well, bumpkin. I’m calling you “bumpkin” only to

encourage you. Now, tell me, how are the nouns divided?

The student: There are nouns we can see them and nouns we can’t see

them, concrete and abstract nouns.

The teacher: Let’s go further on the pedagogical field and ask: Have

you, children, heard about gender? What is gender?

The student: Gender is like thing: masculine, feminine and

heterogeneous or neuter. That means: for men, for women and for things

which are not men or women.

The teacher: Examples!

The student: Horse is a masculine noun; it changes in mare and

becomes a feminine noun.

The teacher: But the neuter gender?

The student: ?!!

The teacher: Neuter gender! If the horse is masculine and the mare is

feminine, the mule is neuter.

Narrator: After this explanation, the student must understand

completely the gender of all the nouns.

Mathematics comes next.

The teacher: Tell us, Bârsănescule, what do you understand when you

say “curve”?

The student: When it is not straight.

The teacher (smiling): Oh! Which is not straight. Ok! But how is it if it

is not straight?

The student: It is a line which goes and goes and comes again in the

same place it started.

The teacher: Ok! We’ll talk about the intuitive method in pedagogies in

our next conference.

Why did you ride on the donkey backwards , Hodja ?

FIRST ANECDOTE

One Who Pays the Money…

When Hodja was on his way to the market place, children of

the neighbourhood gathered around him and asked him to buy

each one a whistle. Hodja agreed and as he was leaving one of the

children gave him the money for his whistle.

In the evening, when Hodja returned from the market place,

the children surrounded him and asked him whether he had bought

whistles for them. He took out one whistle from his pocket, gave it

to the child who had given him the money and said,

”The one who pays, gets to blow the whistle.”

SECOND ANECDOTE

The Cleverest Man in the World

At the time of the Hodja, some clever and educated people were

searching for an intelligent man, who could answer their three questions.

They travelled through the whole world and then came to Aksehir (the

place Nasreddin Hodja lived). They asked:

“Who is the most intelligent man in this town?”

Of course the people of the town brought the Hodja to the clever

people and they began to ask.

First question: “Where is the central point of the world?”

The Hodja’s donkey was with him. So he pointed to his donkey.

“Where the front legs of my donkey are there is the middle point of

the world.”

“How can you prove that?” asked one of the clever people.

“If you don’t believe, you can measure it”, the Hodja said.

Measuring did not seem a good idea to them, so they went on to

the next question:

“How many stars are there in the sky?”

The Hodja replied without hesitation:

“As many as the hairs on my donkey’s mane.”

The clever people laughed.

“If you don’t believe it,” said the Hodja. “you can count them.”

The foreigners understood that they couldn’t get the correct reply

and one of them asked:

“Can you say how many hairs are there in your donkey’s mane?

“Oh yes”, said the Hodja. “There are exactly the same numbers of

hairs as you have in your beard. Now don’t tell me that you don’t

believe that because I can prove it by pulling one hair from your beard

and one from the donkey’s mane. When we pull each hair out one after

the other, you can see at the end that there are same numbers of hair.”

The educated and clever people went back to their country and told

everyone that the cleverest man in the world lived in Aksehir.

THIRD ANECDOTE

You believed that it gave birth…

Hodja had borrowed his neighbour’s cauldron. A few days later, he

put a bowl in it and returned it. When his neighbour saw the bowl, he

asked:

“What is this?”

Hodja answered:

“Your cauldron gave birth.”

His neighbour was very happy. He thanked Hodja and took the

cauldron and the bowl.

A few weeks later, Hodja borrowed the cauldron again but this

time he didn’t return it. When his neighbour came to ask for it, Hodja

said”

“Your cauldron died. I am sorry.”

The neighbour was surprised:

“Oh come on” she said, “cauldrons don’t die!”

Hodja snapped back: “Well, you believed that it gave birth, then

why don’t you believe that it died?”

FOURTH ANECDOTE

Which one is more valuable, Turkey or Parrot?

One day, Hodja goes to the market. Looking at the birds in the

market, he sees a man selling a parrot for seventy-five gold pieces. He is

very surprised to see this and runs straight home. He takes his turkey

from the garden and puts it under his arm. Then he runs back to market.

“Turkey! Turkey! A magnificent turkey here for only two hundred

gold pieces!” he shouts.

But nobody is interested.

After a few hours, a friend comes up to him:

“Hodja, are you mad?” he asks. “How can you try to sell a turkey

for two hundred gold pieces?”

“That man sold his thin parrot for seventy five gold pieces, so why

can’t I sell my nice fat turkey for two hundred?”

“But Hodja, a parrot talks like a man.”

“Maybe,” answered Hodja, “but my turkey thinks like a man.”

FIFTH ANECDOTE

Eat, my fur coat, eat!

Hodja was invited to dinner reception. He put on his old robe and

went. When he noticed that nobody paid him any attention, he rushed

back home, put on his new robe and fur coat, and returned to the

reception.

This time, they greeted him at the door, took him to the table and

offered him the most delicious dishes. Each time they placed a plate full

of food in front of him, he dipped the collar of his fur coat into the food

and said:

“Eat my fur coat, eat!”

Everybody was surprised. So they asked:

“What are you doing Hodja?”

“Since all this attention and generosity is extended to my fur coat,

it might as well eat the food, too” he answered.

SIXTH ANECDOTE

Why did you ride on the donkey backwards, Hodja?

One day when Hodja was going to the mosque with his friends, he

decided to ride on his donkey backwards. The mullahs asked”

“Why are you riding on the donkey backwards? You must be very

uncomfortable.”

He answered:

“If I sat facing forward, you would be behind me. If you went in

front of me, I would be behind you. Either way I would not be facing

you. So this is the most logical way!”

SEVENTH ANECDOTE

Do as you please!

Hodja and his son were going to another village. His son was

riding the donkey and Hodja was walking alone. A few people were

coming down the road. They stopped and pointing at his son they

muttered.

“Look at that! The poor old man is walking and the young boy is

riding the donkey. The youth of today has no consideration.”

Hodja was irritated. He told his son to come down and he began to

ride the donkey himself. Then he saw another group of people who

remarked:

“Look at that man! On a hot day like this, he is riding the donkey

and the poor boy is walking.”

So, Hodja pulled his son on the donkey, too. After a while, they

saw a few more people coming down the road.

“Poor animal! Both of them are riding on it and it is about to pass

out.”

Hodja was fed up. He and his son get down and started walking

behind the donkey. Soon they heard a few people say:

“Look at those stupid people. They have donkey but not riding it.”

Finally Hodja lost his patience. He turned to his son and said:

“You see, you can never please people and everybody says

something behind your back. So, always do as you please.”

Comenius Multilateral Project

“LAUGH AND THINK WITH INTERCULTURAL ANECDOTES”

Project No: 2010-1-TR1-COM06-13688-4

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.

This publication [communication] reflects the views only of the author, and the

Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the

information contained therein.