A16 The Stupid Carpenter
Yulia Davudi لە ⁺Hassar ⁺Baba-čanga لە Sydney, Australia
People ask the mullah saying ‘Have you seen a man more stupid than yourself?’ They say to the mullah, saying ‘Apart from yourself, is there a person who is a yet more stupid man?’ They ask the mullah saying ‘Have you seen apart from yourself another stupid man? You are stupid, but have you seen a more stupid person than you?’ The mullah said ‘Yes, I have.’ He says: I brought a carpenter here, into my house, in order for him to make a door for me. But he had not brought a tape measure with him. Nevertheless he went and took the measurement with his hands, the measurement, with his hands, the same method (as a tape measure). He got up and went with his hands open so that he would not forget the measurement. Because he was going like this and was not looking, he went and fell into a well. But he had luck, the well was not full of much water. There was little of it there. People came to get that man out from there. They said “Give (us) your hand so we can take you out.” He said “I cannot give my hand. If I give my hand, I shall forget the measurement, which I made for the door.” He is more foolish than me.’