Tale 2
HOW TO PINCH OFF A GOOSE
In the anciant Kurdistan one padishah lived. He liked to walk disguised. Once he and his vizier disguised like dervishes and went out to the road. They walked the whole day and the whole night long.
After sunrise padishah and vizier approached to the nearest town. Near the main gate they saw a gray-haired old man in torn clothes.
- Let God help you, - said padishah.
- Let you have long life, padishah,- answered the old man.
Padishah was astonished, how this old man recognized him.
- Let padishah's life be long, I know that you are padishah and he is your vizier and you went for a walk.
- How are you doing, apo? - interested padishah.
- How is my life? Were two but now are three.
- But why didn't you get up earlier?
- I got up but others took off.
Vizier looked at the padishah and the old man and could understand nothing from their dialogue.
- Apo, - smiled padishah, - if I send you a goose can you pinch it off?
- I will pinch it as you wish, - answered the old man and straightened his back.
Padishah and vizier left.
Next day padishah called vizier:
- I give you time till tomorrow to unravel my talk with the old man or you will due.
With great horror vizier had been thinking the whole day long about and couldn't unravel padishah's questions and the old man's answers.
Next day he rushed to the old man:
-Apo, please answer me, what was the sense of padishah's questions and your answers? Tell me please. Only you can save my live.
The old man put a condition: every answer cost 20 gold coins. But vizier had no money and led the old man to his palace to pay him.
The old man took a pipe into his month and began:
- On padishah's question I answered "were two but now are three" and that meant that I had two legs but now I have got three ones. Next time he asked "why didn't I get up earlier". It means "why hadn't I got marry in time for my children food me". - I answered that I had got marry but my daughters left me for their husbands. But before I explain the sense of third question give me all my money and your upper clothes.
Vizier executed his wish and then old man smiled.
- Padishah asked me if I could pinch off a goose. That goose was you, vizier. Every answer costed for you 20 gold coins besides I took your expensive clothes.