Nasreddin Feeds His Coat

One day, the wise and witty Nasreddin Hodja was invited to a grand feast hosted by a wealthy merchant in the town. Nasreddin, thinking little of appearances, arrived dressed in his simple, everyday clothes.

Upon entering the bustling hall, he found that none of the hosts or other guests paid him much attention. He was seated at the far end of the table, offered meager scraps, and generally ignored. Seeing how things stood, Nasreddin quietly slipped out of the feast, unnoticed.

He hurried home and changed into his most splendid attire: a luxurious coat trimmed with fine fur, elegant trousers, and a new turban. Dressed in his best, he returned to the merchant's house.

This time, as soon as he entered, the host rushed to greet him. "Welcome, esteemed Hodja! An honor to have you!" he exclaimed, bowing deeply. Nasreddin was immediately ushered to the head of the table, placed among the most important guests. The finest dishes – roasted meats, sweet pastries, plump figs, and nuts – were piled onto his plate.

But instead of eating, Nasreddin began to take the food and stuff it into the pockets and sleeves of his magnificent coat. Picking up a juicy piece of lamb, he pushed it into a pocket, murmuring, "Eat, coat, eat!" He took a handful of dates and offered them to his sleeve, saying, "You must be hungry, dear coat. Eat, please eat!"

The host and guests watched in stunned silence, utterly bewildered. Finally, the host could contain his curiosity no longer. "Forgive me, Hodja," he asked, "but why are you feeding your coat instead of eating the food yourself?"

Nasreddin paused, looked at the host, and then at his coat. "Ah," he said calmly. "When I arrived earlier in my plain clothes, no one offered me so much as a polite glance or a decent bite. But when I returned wearing this fine coat, I was treated like royalty and offered the best of everything. Clearly, it was my coat that you welcomed and honored, not me. Therefore, it is only right that the coat should enjoy the feast!"

The host and the guests flushed with embarrassment, understanding the lesson Nasreddin had subtly taught them about judging people by their appearance rather than their worth.