Down through the ages, in every religious tradition there have been holy fools, eccentrics, and lovers of surprises who teach us about life. In Sufism, the mystical path of Islam, the trickster who has dispensed his "crazy wisdom" since the Middle Ages is Nasreddine. There are many stories attributed to this Turkish sage and most of them reveal an unusual blend of truth and playfulness. Using the beautiful illustrations of Rebecca Dautremer, writer Odile Weulersse brings us this tale of Nasreddine as a young boy who can't seem to do anything right in the critical eyes of others.
Nasreddine's father wants to go to market. They load the donkey with dates, and his father rides as Nasreddine walks behind, taking off his slippers so as not to get them muddy. When they get to the city, a vizier on a beautiful Arabian horse ridicules his father for being lazy by riding the donkey while the boy sloshes through the mud.
The next week on the same journey, Nasreddine pretends to have injured his ankle so he can ride on the donkey and his father can't be criticized. But now a group of women for having no respect for his father.
In the next trip, the boy, his father, a hen, and a rooster all get on the back of the donkey and head toward town. This time Nasreddine is put down for harming the donkey with such a heavy load. During the final trip there is more humiliation — this time from youngsters.
It takes Nasreddine a long time before he comes to the realization that he cannot allow others to determine what he does and how he does it. He must not be so thin-skinned that he allows criticism to make him feel bad about himself.
Weulersse and Dautremer have kept the spirit of Nasreddine alive in this sprightly tale designed for children ages 4 through 9. The message is one that both kids and adults can take to heart. No wonder Nasreddine grew up able to dispense crazy wisdom even to those who made fun of him!
