Mir-i Arab Madressa in Bukhara (Photo: Emily O'Dell)
Mullah Nasreddin put on a woolen Sufi cloak, and decided to make a pious journey. On his way he met a priest and a yogi, and they decided to team up together. When they got to a village, the priest and the yogi asked Nasreddin to seek donations, while they carried out their devotions. Nasreddin collected some money, and bought sweet halwa with it.
Nasreddin suggested that they divide the food, but the others, who were not yet hungry, said that eating should be postponed until night. They continued on their way, and when night fell Nasreddin asked for the first portion of halwa, since he was the one who had procured it. But the others disagreed: the priest on the grounds that he represented a properly organized hierarchical body, and should therefore have preference–and the yogi because he said he ate only once every three days, and should therefore have more. Finally, they decided to sleep, and in the morning the one who related the best dream would get to have the first slice of halwa.
In the morning, the priest said, “In my dreams, I saw the founder of my religion, who made a sign of benediction, singling me out as especially blessed.” Nasreddin and the yogi were impressed, but the yogi said: “I dreamt that I visited nirvana, and was utterly absorbed into nothing.” Then they turned to Mullah Nasreddin, who said: “I dreamt that I saw the Sufi guide Khidr, who appears only to the most sanctified. And Khidr said to me: ‘Nasreddin, eat the halwa–now!’ And, of course, I had to obey.”
