Zawaj.com's Islamic Humor Files

Goha in the Court of the Egg Layers

Editor's Note: Some call him Goha or Joha, the Turks call him Hodja, while the Perisans call him Mollah or Nasrullah. Regardless of what you call him, this wise, mysterious and sarcastic figure has been a fixture of Middle Eastern stories for centuries.

The king was having a banquet and had invited many important people. He had heard about Goha's cleverness and wisdom, so he invited him, and decided to play a trick on him. Before Goha arrived the king commanded each of his men to sit on an egg.

When Goha arrived and was seated the banquet began, and after everyone had eaten the king said, "I command each one of you to lay an egg!" The guests all reached down and pulled out their eggs, pleased that they had proven their loyalty to the king's command.

"What about you, Goha?" the king said. "Are you disobeying a royal decree?"

Goha stood up and began crowing, "Koo Koo Roo Koo Roo!"

"What on earth are you doing?" the king said.

"Well, your highness," Goha replied, "Since you have a court full of hens here, you need a rooster to guard them."

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