the Cogia, 'the cauldron is dead.' 'O Cogia,' said the man, 'can a
cauldron die?' 'Oh,' said the Cogia, 'as you believed it could bear a
child, why should you not believe that it can die?'

One day the Cogia, walking amongst the sepulchres, saw a large dog lying
upon a gravestone. The Cogia, in a great rage laying hold on a stick,
aimed a blow at the dog, who in his turn assaulted the Cogia. The Cogia
fearing that he should be torn to pieces, said to the dog, 'Get you gone:
I conquered. Get you gone.'

One day the Cogia laying hold on a crane, took it home, and saying that
its beak and feet were very long, cut them off with a knife; and placing
it on a lofty place, said, 'Now you look like a bird.'

One day the Cogia having made his broth very hot, burnt his mouth, and
making a great outcry, ran into the street, saying, 'Make way, brothers:
there is a fire in my belly.'

A Moolah, who had travelled about Arabia, Persia, Hindustan, and, in a
word, the whole seven climes without finding any one who could answer his
questions, was told by a man, 'In this country there is a man called
Cogia Nasr Eddin, who will answer your questions if any one can.' The
Moolah arising, went straight to Belgrade, where he bought an aspre's
worth of pomegranates, which he placed in his bosom. Going out of the
suburbs of Belgrade, he saw a man going to his labour; now this was the
Cogia himself. Going up to him he saw a man like a fakeah, with shoes of
raw hide on his feet and a kiebbeh or rough cloak on his back. When he
was close by him he said to him, 'Salaam'; and the Cogia saying to him,
'Peace be unto you,' said, 'Moolah Efendi, for what have you come?' The
Moolah replied, 'Can you answer a question which I shall ask?' The Cogia
said, 'I can.' 'Do you know so-and-so?' The Cogia said, 'I can do
nothing without being paid. What will you give me?' The Moolah taking
the pomegranates which were in his bosom, gave him one; whereupon the
Cogia answered his question, and got all his pomegranates, one by one,
till not a single grain remained. The Moolah then said, 'I have yet one
question to ask.' The Cogia replied, 'Go your way: don't trouble me. The
pomegranates are spent.' Whereupon the Moolah went away, saying, 'If the
labourers of Moom are of this description, what must the learned men be?'

One day the Cogia saw a great many ducks playing on the top of a
fountain. The Cogia, running towards them, said, 'I'll catch yo