Quarrel in the bed

One year after the death of his wife, Nasreddin got married again with a widow. When they were in the bed, his wife told him about her former husband. She said that he was a very very good man.

Then Nasreddin got his turn to speak. He told his wife about his former wife, too. He said that she was the best woman he had ever known so far.

Hearing the story, his wife was very very angry. She told him that her former husband was better than him. In return, Nasreddin also said that his former wife was much better than her. His wife said something more about her former husband before Nasreddin finished his sentences. Then Nasreddin did the same thing. But because his wife could speak much more quickly than him, at last his wife won the quarrel.

Nasreddin got angry so that he kicked his wife off the bed. she fell down to the floor. the next day she brought the case to the court. when the trial commenced, she reported that nasreddin had kicked her off the bed. as a result, she fell down to the floor and hurt her head. she said that it was an ill-treatment.

the judge asked him," did you do it, nasreddin?"

"no, your honour," he answered, "let me tell you the truth. when we were lying down in the bed and talking, there came one of her friends and joined us to sleep in the bed, then came also one of my friends. she also joined us. we were four in the bed. therefore, when i moved a bit, she fell down”.

Taken from The Story of  Nasreddin the Wise Man

Haryanto, sugeng. 1995. Nasreddin the Wise Man. Yogyakarta. Penerbit Kanisius.