The Singing Scoutmaster: Nasreddin Hodja's Donkey and the Moon

One quiet evening, Nasreddin Hodja was relaxing in his small home when a frantic knock echoed through his door. He opened it to find his neighbor standing there, wide-eyed and out of breath. "Hodja! Help! My donkey has fallen into the well, and I don't know how to get him out!" the neighbor cried, his voice trembling with panic.

Nasreddin, always calm in the face of a crisis, grabbed his lantern and followed the neighbor to the old stone well behind his house. As they approached, he could hear the donkey's desperate braying and the sound of splashing water echoing up from the deep well. Nasreddin peered over the edge and, sure enough, saw the poor animal struggling at the bottom, its eyes wide with fear.

But instead of rushing to come up with a solution, Nasreddin's face broke into a wide smile. He stared intently into the water, his lantern casting flickering shadows across the rough stone walls of the well. "Hodja, why are you smiling?" the neighbor asked, his voice tinged with frustration. "My donkey is trapped down there!"

Nasreddin turned to his neighbor and pointed down into the well. "Don't worry, my friend," he said calmly. "Your donkey isn't in any real danger. In fact, he's just trying to reach the moon!"

The neighbor blinked in confusion. "The moon? What on earth are you talking about, Hodja?" He leaned over and squinted down into the water, trying to make sense of Nasreddin's words. But all he saw was his soaked and miserable donkey, flailing about and braying pitifully. "What does the moon have to do with my donkey being stuck in the well?" he asked, his brow furrowed in bewilderment.

Nasreddin chuckled softly and pointed again. "Look closer, my friend. Do you see the moon's reflection in the water? It's shining there, bright and round, right next to your donkey." The neighbor looked again and, sure enough, saw the silvery reflection of the moon shimmering on the surface of the water. "Your donkey thinks that the moon is a big, glowing carrot floating in the water," Nasreddin continued. "He's trying to grab it, but no matter how hard he tries, he'll never be able to reach it."

The neighbor's mouth dropped open as he stared at his donkey, who was indeed braying and lunging at the reflection as if trying to bite it. The absurdity of the situation made the neighbor want to laugh and cry at the same time. "So, what do we do, Hodja?" he asked, his voice a mixture of relief and exasperation.

Nasreddin scratched his chin thoughtfully, then leaned over the edge of the well and cupped his hands around his mouth. "Hey, you silly creature!" he shouted down to the donkey, his voice echoing off the walls of the well. "The moon isn't for you! Stop trying to catch it and come up here instead!"

The donkey stopped splashing and braying, its ears twitching as it listened to Nasreddin's voice. The neighbor watched in disbelief as the donkey turned around and began climbing up the uneven stones inside the well, using its hooves to find purchase on the slippery surfaces. Slowly but surely, the donkey made its way up, its body trembling with effort. With one final heave, it pulled itself over the edge and stood on solid ground, dripping wet but otherwise unharmed.

The neighbor stared at the donkey, then at Nasreddin, his eyes wide with amazement. "How… how did you do that?" he stammered. "How did you get my donkey to come out of the well so easily?"

Nasreddin Hodja smiled and placed a gentle hand on his neighbor's shoulder. "Sometimes," he said softly, "it's not about pulling someone out of a bad situation. It's about showing them that what they're reaching for isn't worth it. When they realize that, they'll stop chasing after impossible dreams and find a way out on their own."

The neighbor nodded slowly, his mind turning over Nasreddin's words. He realized that Hodja wasn't just talking about donkeys. There were people, too, who spent their lives reaching for things that were impossible to grasp—fame, wealth, or even the approval of others. No matter how hard they tried, they could never quite get what they were chasing, just like the donkey and the moon.

"You're right, Hodja," the neighbor murmured thoughtfully. "Maybe I've been chasing after things that don't really matter, too."

Nasreddin winked and patted the donkey's wet flank. "We all have our moments," he said lightly. "But when we realize what's truly important, we can climb out of the wells we've fallen into and stand on solid ground once more." With that, he turned and began walking back to his house, the lantern's light bobbing gently in the dark.

The neighbor watched him go, his heart filled with a strange sense of peace. He glanced down at his donkey, who shook itself and let out a contented bray. "Come on, you silly creature," the neighbor said with a smile. "Let's go home." He led the donkey back to the stable, Nasreddin's words echoing in his mind like a gentle breeze.

From that night on, whenever the neighbor looked up at the moon, he remembered Nasreddin's lesson. He stopped chasing after unattainable dreams and focused instead on what was truly within his reach. And as for the donkey, he never again tried to reach for the moon—content to munch on the hay and carrots in his cozy stable, safe and sound on solid ground.

The tale of Nasreddin Hodja's donkey and the moon spread throughout the region, becoming a beloved story in the Middle Eastern tradition. It was told and retold around campfires, in homes, and at gatherings, reminding everyone of the wisdom of recognizing one's limits and the importance of letting go of what cannot be obtained. With his clever wit and gentle humor, Nasreddin had once again shown the world the value of wisdom and perspective, turning a simple rescue into a timeless lesson for all.