Stories of Nasrudin’s many incarnations are studied by Sufis for their hidden wisdom, and are universally enjoyed for their humour. Sometimes Nasrudin is an impoverished itinerant or stall holder. Sometimes, he is a mayor, judge, vizier, or even the King. The World of Nasrudin is the fourth book in the corpus written by Idries Shah, and is the last to be published by the celebrated Afghan author.
Coats
One winter’s day the judge met Nasrudin in the bazaar.
‘Extraordinary,’ he mused. ‘I am wearing the warmest of my fur-lined coats and am still chilled by the wind. While you, dressed in rags, do not appear to feel the cold. How is that?’
‘A man who is wearing all his clothes cannot afford to feel the cold,’ replied Nasrudin.