When Nasreddin was a boy, he never did what he was told, so his father always told him to do the opposite of what he wanted him to do.
One day, when the two were bringing sacks of flour home on their donkeys, they had to cross a shallow river. When they were in the middle of it, one of the sacks on Nasreddin's donkey began to slip, so his father said, "That sack is nearly in the water! Press down hard on it!" His father of course expected that he would do the opposite, but this time Nasreddin did what his father had told him to do. He pressed down on the sack and it went under water. Of course, the flour was lost.
"What have you done, Nasreddin," his father shouted angrily.
"Well, father," said Nasreddin. "This time I thought that I would do just what you told me to show you how stupid your orders always are."
當納斯雷金還是個孩子時,從來不按照別人所說的去做。所以他爸爸想要他去做某事時,常叫他做相反的事。
一天,父子倆用毛驢馱著幾袋面粉往家走,路上必須經過一條不深的小河。父子倆走到河中心時,納斯雷金牽的那頭毛驢上有一袋面粉開始往下滑了。他爸爸說:“那個袋子快掉進水里了,使勁往下按!”他爸爸當然是希望他象以往一樣,干和他所說的相反的事。可這次納斯雷金卻按照他爸爸所說的去做了。他使勁一按,袋子沉進水里了。當然,這袋面也沒有了。
他爸爸憤怒地喊道:“你干的什么事!”
納斯雷金說:“嗯,爸爸,這次我想按你所要求的去做,好證明你以往的命令是多么的愚蠢。”