Borrow - "Cogia Efendi one day went into a garden" - Keeping the Public in Public Domain

 

17th-century miniature of Nasruddin

Even as we celebrate our own 4th of July, I can't help noting an international celebration at the same time. Current online references to the Annual 67th International Nasreddin Hodja Festival are in Turkish, so AI explains it this way:

The 2026 International Nasreddin Hodja Culture and Art Festival in Sivrihisar, Eskişehir, takes place from June 29 to July 5, with the main events and concerts running from July 3 to 5. This annual celebration features the iconic "göle maya çalma" (making the lake ferment) ceremony, folk dances, art exhibitions, and free nightly concerts. [1, 2, 3, 4]

Key Festival Highlights

• Core Event Dates: June 29 – July 5
• Main Concerts: July 3 – 5 at the Open-Air Sculpture Museum (Açık Hava Heykel Bahçesi)
• Göl’e Maya Çalma (Yeast in the Lake): Traditionally held on July 1 in Nasreddin Hodja Neighborhood to kick off the cultural celebrations.
• Free Nightly Performances: Artists taking the stage include Resul Dindar, Uğur Işılak, Derya Bedavacı, and Ebru Yaşar. [1, 2, 3, 4]

I'm surprised that the last time I featured the Hodja wasn't at last year's festival time, but earlier back in March of that year looking ahead to April Fool's Day. The Hodja is often called a "wise fool." At that time I mentioned two Public Domain books found at Project Gutenberg:   Allan Ramsay's Tales from Turkey , which only has a few Hodja tales and George Borrow, trans. [1884]. The Turkish Jester or, The Pleasantries of Cogia Nasr Eddin Effendi . 

At that time I complained "Borrow's text is formatted poorly, but the brief stories are in paragraphs that often begins 'One day the Cogia...' "  I still regret the way he handles the stories, but know it has a wealth of stories. 

Since gardens are now beginning to have the first signs of produce, I enjoyed this story translated by Borrow of the Hodja in a garden. 

Cogia Efendi one day went into a garden, pulled up some carrots and turnips and other kinds of vegetables, which he found, putting some into a sack and some into his bosom; suddenly the gardener coming up, laid hold of him, and said, ‘What are you seeking here?’  The Cogia, being in great consternation, not finding any other reply, answered, ‘For some days past a great wind has been blowing, and that wind blew me hither.’  ‘But who pulled up these vegetables?’ said the gardener.  ‘As the wind blew very violently,’ replied the Cogia, ‘it cast me here and there, and whatever I laid hold of in the hope of saving myself remained in my hands.’  ‘Ah,’ said the gardener, ‘but who filled the sack with them?’  ‘Well,’ said the Cogia, ‘that is the very question I was about to ask myself when you came up.’ 

Of course a Wikipedia article about Nasreddin Hodja is available. I also recommend an excellent overview from last year's "800 years on, Türkiye celebrates the wit and wisdom of its own Nasreddin Hodja." 

The Hodja's name is given in many ways and his location spreads through many countries in the Middle East, but surely the central Anatolian town called Akşehir or Eskişehir, in the country nowadays being called Türkiye, is THE place where he most notably lives on. His tales are enjoyable no matter what your language.

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This is part of a series of postings of stories under the category, “Keeping the Public in Public Domain.” The idea behind Public Domain was to preserve our cultural heritage after the authors and their immediate heirs were compensated. I feel strongly current copyright law delays this intent on works of the 20^th century. My own library of folklore includes so many books within the Public Domain I decided to share stories from them. I hope you enjoy discovering them.

At the same time, my own involvement in storytelling regularly creates projects requiring research as part of my sharing stories with an audience.  Whenever that research needs to be shown here, the publishing of Public Domain stories will not occur that week.  This is a return to my regular posting of a research project here.  (Don't worry, this isn't dry research, my research is always geared towards future storytelling to an audience.)  Response has convinced me that "Keeping the Public in Public Domain" should continue along with my other postings as often as I can manage it.

See the sidebar for other Public Domain story resources I recommend on the page “Public Domain Story Resources."