Or else!
What should you do when the unacceptable happens? Well… what you can. It is definitely forbidden to do what you cannot. This reminds me of a story:
On the way back from Samarkand to Eskisehir the Silk Road seemed never to end and was mainly made of sand. Everywhere, the same dogs were barking, the same caravan passed and then the dusty dogs were barking again and the sand ate up the traces of the camels and horses and donkeys, leaving the weary travellers at the gate of yet another caravan serai, that could have been the same.
That night Hoca, at long last released from the emotions of service at Tamerlane's court, dreamed a strange dream. It appeared to him that he was a young donkey leaping about, free from worry, across green flowery fields. It was such a delightful vision!
In the morning he did not know for certain: Was he the awakened Nasr Eddin the Hodja having dreamt all night that he was a donkey or was he a sleeping donkey making now this strange dream that he wake up as a Hodja?
Anyway, when he got to the stables his donkey - the certainly real one - was missing, stolen.
This was a very unfavourable event as it is much easier to ride than to walk when you have a long way ahead.
In desperation, Nasrudin proceeded to the main court of the inn and there, shouted loud and clear for each and everyone to hear:
"Listen, all of you people! My donkey is gone.
If my donkey doesn't appear where he was, in one hour from now, I will do what my terrible Master, Emir Timur did, in his youth, when the same happened to him! I will say no more."
The travellers looked at each other, then started asking questions and found out from the caravan that this man was indeed seen with Tamerlane's advisers. A cold spell fell upon the assembly. This was by no means a threat to take lightly. Nobody in their right mind would mess with Timur's envoys. Even less with his advisers.
And lo, the donkey reappeared in the stable in less than one hour.
A very pleased Hoca, saddled the beloved companion.
"But pray, Hodja," asked some curious travellers, "what would you have done in case the donkey remained missing? What did the iron Emir do in his glorious youth?"
"I will tell you what I was ready to do:
"When fearless young Timur had his horse stolen at Kech, he walked, with his saddle on his back, all the way until he got another horse."
That night Hoca, at long last released from the emotions of service at Tamerlane's court, dreamed a strange dream. It appeared to him that he was a young donkey leaping about, free from worry, across green flowery fields. It was such a delightful vision!
In the morning he did not know for certain: Was he the awakened Nasr Eddin the Hodja having dreamt all night that he was a donkey or was he a sleeping donkey making now this strange dream that he wake up as a Hodja?
Anyway, when he got to the stables his donkey - the certainly real one - was missing, stolen.
This was a very unfavourable event as it is much easier to ride than to walk when you have a long way ahead.
In desperation, Nasrudin proceeded to the main court of the inn and there, shouted loud and clear for each and everyone to hear:
"Listen, all of you people! My donkey is gone.
If my donkey doesn't appear where he was, in one hour from now, I will do what my terrible Master, Emir Timur did, in his youth, when the same happened to him! I will say no more."
The travellers looked at each other, then started asking questions and found out from the caravan that this man was indeed seen with Tamerlane's advisers. A cold spell fell upon the assembly. This was by no means a threat to take lightly. Nobody in their right mind would mess with Timur's envoys. Even less with his advisers.
And lo, the donkey reappeared in the stable in less than one hour.
A very pleased Hoca, saddled the beloved companion.
"But pray, Hodja," asked some curious travellers, "what would you have done in case the donkey remained missing? What did the iron Emir do in his glorious youth?"
"I will tell you what I was ready to do:
"When fearless young Timur had his horse stolen at Kech, he walked, with his saddle on his back, all the way until he got another horse."
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