A Khalíf was partaking of food with an Arab from the desert. During the repast as his glance fell upon the Arab’s portion he saw in it a hair, and said: “O Arab, take that hair out of thy food.” The Arab exclaimed: “It is impossible to eat at the table of one who looks so at his guest’s portion as to perceive a hair in it.” Then withdrawing his hand he swore never again to partake of food at his table. * * * * * A weaver left a deposit in the house of a learned man. After a few days had elapsed, finding some necessity for it, he paid him a visit and found him seated at the door of his house giving instruction to a number of pupils who were standing in a row before him. “O Professor,” said the man, “I am in want of the deposit which I left.” “Be seated a moment,” replied the other, “until I have finished the lesson.” The weaver sat down, but the lesson lasted a long time and he was pressed for time. Now that learned man had a habit when giving lessons, of wagging his head, and the weaver seeing this, and fancying that to give a lesson was merely to wag the head, said: “Rise up, O Professor, and make me thy deputy till thy return: let me wag my head in place of thee, and do thou bring out my deposit, for I am in a hurry.” The learned man, hearing this, laughed and said: * * * * * In public halls the city jurist boasts That all, obscure or clear, to him is known; But if thou ask him aught, his answer mark:-- A gesture with the hand or head alone. * * * * * From a collection called _The Pleasantries of Cogia Nasr Eddin Effendi_, the typical noodle of the Turks. Cogia Effendi one day went into a garden, pulled up some carrots and turnips and other kinds of vegetables, which he found, putting some into a sack and some into his bosom; suddenly the gardener coming up, laid hold of him, and said, “What are you seeking here?” The Cogia, being in great consternation, not finding any other reply, answered, “For some days past a great wind has been blowing, and that wind blew me hither.” “But who pulled up these vegetables,” said the gardener? “As the wind blew very violently,” replied the Cogia, “it cast me here and there, and whatever I laid hold of in the hope of saving myself remained in my hands.” “Ah,” said the gardener, “but who filled the sack with them?” “Well,” said the Cogia, “that is the very question I was about to ask myself when you came up.” * * * * * One day Cogia Nasr Eddin Effendi said, “O Mussulmen, give thanks to God Most High that He did not give the camel wings; for, had He given them, they would have perched upon your houses and chimneys, and have caused them to tumble upon your heads.” * * * * *