6-64. A Dinner of Smells

One day a poor man came to visit an effendi while he was having tea. Effendi is a title of respect for a well-educated or wealthy man in the Middle East. The poor man said, "Effendi Nasreddin, I need your help. I don't know if you will help me. I am a poor man, a man with no money."
    The effendi looked at the man kindly. "I will help you," he said. "Tell me, what is wrong?"
     The poor man looked tired and hungry, and it took him a while to begin. "I have a problem. . ." He paused suddenly.
     "Yes," said the effendi gently, "go on."
     "Yesterday I stopped in front of the door of a restaurant," the poor man said. "The restaurant belonged to a rich man. I ate nothing. I only smelled the food. However, the owner came out and noticed me. He said I was enjoying his food, and . . . and . . . he wanted me to pay him for the food."
     The poor man stopped. He turned his head and coughed.
     The effendi wondered if the man was crying, but he waited patiently for the man to continue. "Please, finish your story when you are ready," said the effendi.
     "Well," continued the poor man. "I, of course, had no money with me, so I couldn't pay him. He became very angry. He shouted and shouted until the judge came. The judge said I must appear in court today. He will tell me how I am to be punished. Please, effendi," begged the poor man, "can you help me? Can you say something to the judge?"
     The effendi offered the man some tea, and he sat thinking quietly while the man drank. When the man had finished his tea, the effendi spoke: "Yes, I will go to court with you. Let's go." And they left together.
     When the effendi and the poor man got to court, the rich man was already there. He was waiting for them.
     As soon as the rich man saw the poor man, he began shouting angrily, "This man owes me the price of one dinner! I want my money! These beggars are all alike! They live off the work of others!"
     It took the judge several minutes to calm the rich man down. "You see how angry he is?" said the judge. "You have filled yourself up on the smell of his restaurant. Yet you have not even paid him. You must pay him right now."
     After the effendi heard what the judge said, he stepped forward. He looked at the rich man and said, "Oh, sir, do not be so upset. This poor man is my brother, my elder brother. He is a poor man and he cannot pay you, so I will pay you instead."
     After he heard this, the rich man smiled a greedy smile. The effendi took a bag of coins from his belt. He bent down next to the rich man and shook the bag of coins. The coins jingled loudly.
     "Listen," said the effendi. "Do you hear that sound?"
     "Of course I hear!" said the rich man impatiently.
     "Well, then," answered the effendi, "the problem is solved. The debt is paid. My brother has smelled your food, and you have heard his money."
     The judge nodded. He was satisfied with the exchange. If the poor man only smelled the rich man's food, the rich man could only charge him the sound of his money.
     Afterward, the effendi took the arm of the poor man and handed him the bag of gold coins. "Go, my brother," said the effendi, "and taste the food you have smelled so much of."
     The poor man bowed respectfully and left.