ANOTHER DONKEY TALE - GHAR KA GADDHA DAAL BARABAR

DONKEY FOR SALE

A Mulla Nasrudin Story 

By

VIKRAM KARVE

Mulla Nasrudin had a good-for-nothing donkey. The donkey was wild, unruly, lazy, and obstinate and would not obey Mulla Nasrudin and all efforts to train the donkey failed. Soon the donkey became such a nuisance that Nasrudin and his wife were fed up of the donkey and wanted to get rid of it, so they decided to sell off their useless donkey and purchase a good one.

So Mulla Nasrudin took his good-for-nothing donkey to the weekly fair where animals were bought and sold by auction.

“I want to sell this good-for-nothing, lazy, useless, disobedient donkey,” Mulla Nasrudin shouted.

A man offered five hundred rupees and Nasrudin was delighted to get this unexpected prize for his useless donkey.

Mulla Nasrudin roamed around the fair and suddenly he saw a huge crowd around an auctioneer who was auctioning a handsomely decked-up donkey wearing a crown.

The auctioneer talked about the donkey’s strong muscles, “look how strong and supple this donkey is – it is so hardy that it can wok tirelessly for hours carrying heavy loads. An excellent beast of burden.”

Someone bid one thousand rupees.

“What? Only a thousand rupees for such an intelligent donkey? You can train him to anything you want and he will learn in a minute. This is a most gentle donkey. Just look at his eyes. You know he’s a wonderful donkey. You can let him carry your children home with full knowledge of the fact that this kind animal will protect them from any harm. For he is a strong loyal friend…” the auctioneer said.

Someone bid three thousand rupees.

The auctioneer continued talking about the donkey’s value and and as he laid it thick and praised the donkey’s qualities the bids started going higher and higher.

The auctioneer went on and on extolling the donkey’s virtues which so impressed Mulla Nasrudin that he suddenly bid ten thousand rupees, won the bid and bought the donkey.

He triumphantly led his prize donkey home and told his wife that he had sold their good-for-nothing useless donkey for rupees five hundred and bought this wonderful new donkey for ten thousand rupees.

Nasrudin’s wife had a close look, realized that the decked-up donkey Nasrudin had bought was their own lazy good-for-nothing donkey and was furious with Mulla Nasrudin and shouted at him, “are you crazy Nasrudin. This is our own useless donkey – you sold it for five hundred rupees and bought it back for ten thousand rupees?”

A stunned, bewildered and baffled Mulla Nasrudin looked closely at the donkey for some time, then recovered his wits, and said, “Maybe I did not appreciate the true worth of my donkey until the auctioneer explained it…” 

It is true, isn’t it?

 

Sometimes we don’t realize the value of what we have nor do we appreciate the true worth of persons close to us, till someone else appreciates it.

Like the saying in hindi: “Ghar ki Murgi Dal Barabar…” (in this story - Ghar Ka Gadha Dal Barabar...)

VIKRAM KARVE

Copyright © Vikram Karve 2011

Vikram Karve has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work. 

© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

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About Vikram Karve

A creative person with a zest for life, Vikram Karve is a retired Naval Officer turned full time writer. Educated at IIT Delhi, ITBHU Varanasi, The Lawrence School Lovedale and Bishops School Pune, Vikram has published two books: COCKTAIL a collection of fiction short stories about relationships (2011) and APPETITE FOR A STROLL a book of Foodie Adventures (2008) and is currently working on his novel and a book of vignettes and short fiction. An avid blogger, he has written a number of fiction short stories, creative non-fiction articles on a variety of topics including food, travel, philosophy, academics, technology, management, health, pet parenting, teaching stories and self help in magazines and published a large number of professional research papers in journals and edited in-house journals for many years, before the advent of blogging. Vikram has taught at a University as a Professor for almost 14 years and now teaches as a visiting faculty and devotes most of his time to creative writing. Vikram lives in Pune India with his family and muse - his pet dog Sherry with whom he takes long walks thinking creative thoughts.

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© vikram karve., all rights reserved.