One day the Cogia’s wife said to him, ’Nurse this child for a little time, for I have a little business to see after.’  The Cogia, taking the child, sat with him upon his lap.  Presently, however, the child p—–­ upon the Cogia; whereupon the Cogia, getting up, p—–­ over the child, from head to foot.  His wife coming, said, ’O Cogia, why have you acted in this manner?’ ‘I would have —–­ over him,’ said the Cogia, ’if he had done so over me.’

One day the Cogia’s wife, having washed the Cogia’s kaftan, hung it upon a tree to dry; the Cogia going out saw, as he supposed, a man standing in the tree with his arms stretched out.  Says the Cogia to his wife, ’O wife, go and fetch me my bow and arrow.’  His wife fetched and brought them to him; the Cogia taking an arrow, shot it and pierced the kaftan and stretched it on the ground; then returning, he made fast his door and lay down to sleep.  Going out in the morning he saw that what he had shot was his own kaftan; thereupon, sitting down, he cried aloud, ’O God, be thanked; if I had been in it I should have certainly been killed.’

One day the Cogia, going to the College, mounted into the car, in the rear of the Moolahs.  Said the Moolahs, ’O Cogia, why did you mount backwards?’ ‘If I got in straightways,’ said the Cogia, ’you would be at my back.  If you went before me your backs would be in my face, therefore I mounted in this manner.’

One night as the Cogia was lying in his bed he perceived a thief moving upon the housetop.  Now, the Cogia’s wife was lying at his side, and he said to her, ’O wife, last night wishing to enter the house, I repeated this prayer and descended the chimney on the rays of the moon.’  The thief above heard these words of the Cogia, and after a little time, repeating the prayer which the Cogia had repeated, essayed to go down the chimney upon the rays of the moon, but tumbled down headlong.  The Cogia, who was not yet sleep, rising in haste, seized the thief by the collar and cried out, ’O wife, be quick and light a candle, for I have caught a thief!’ hereupon the thief exclaimed humorously, ’O Cogia Efendi, don’t be in a hurry; the virtue in that prayer being in me was rather too much for me, and so I tumbled down here.’

Nasr Eddin Efendi had an old ox which had exceedingly great horns, and so far apart, that it was possible for a person to sit between them.  Every time that the ox drew nigh the Cogia was in the habit of saying to himself, ‘How I should like to sit between his horns,’ and calculating as to the possibility of doing so.  One day the ox came and laid himself down before the house.  Cries the Cogia, ‘Now is my time!’ and mounting, he took his seat betwixt the ox’s two horns.  Presently, however, the ox, rising upon his legs, flung the Cogia upon the ground, where he lay for some time quite senseless.  His wife coming and seeing him lying motionless, began to lament.  After some time, the Cogia, recovering a little, on seeing his wife weeping by his side, exclaimed, ’O wife, do not weep, I have suffered a great deal, but I have had my desire.’