The overseas sovereign sent three wise men to the ruler of Bukhara, wanting to prove that his wise men were the wisest. They began to ask the ruler and court advisers questions that no one could answer. The ruler did not know what to do. In confusion, he ordered to send for Nasreddin, begging him to save the honor of his fatherland.
Nasreddin arrived at the palace on his gray long-eared donkey.
The sages sat on a platform in the shade, drinking sherbet and looking around with contempt. When Nasreddin arrived, they almost burst out laughing - they say, this simpleton will compete with us!
- Hey, ignoramus, answer me, where is the center of the Earth? - asked the first sage.
“The center of the Earth is under the right hind hoof of my donkey,” Nasreddin answered calmly.
- How will you prove this?
- If you don’t believe it, go and measure the Earth. And you will be convinced that I am right,” came the answer.
The sages calmed down a little and began to look more closely at Nasreddin.
- Or maybe you know how many stars there are in the sky? - asked the second sage.
- Certainly. Their number exactly matches the number of hairs on the skin of my long-eared one.
- This can’t be!
- Count all the stars in the sky, and then count the hairs on my donkey. Compare the results and you will be convinced!
Two shamed sages, no longer daring to compete with Nasreddin, lowered their eyes to the ground, but the third, unable to restrain his insidious smile, asked:
- Oh, wise... donkey driver! You think so well. Tell me, how many hairs are there in my beard? - And he stroked his luxurious long beard.
“Your beard has as many hairs as a donkey’s tail,” Molla pointed to the donkey. - If you want to check, then it’s better to rip out hairs: one from your beard, and the other from a donkey’s tail. You will soon see that their number is the same!
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru