A VERY HASTY LETTER


There was a wedding party that day and later there would be what promised to be a lavish dinner. But due to an oversight the Hodja had not been invited. He waited at home until the last possible moment, in the hope that they might remember to send for him. By then, he was seeing in his mind's eye the tables laid with all kinds of delicacies. When it was about time for the guests to partake of the feast, he could endure it no longer.

He hastily folded a blank sheet of writing paper, put it in an envelope and sealed it. Armed with this letter, he was soon on his way. Arriving at the house where the party was being held, he announced that he had an important letter for the host.

The Hodja was immediately shown to the dining room. Everybody was at the table and dinner had started a few minutes before. He dutifully delivered the letter to the host and, seating himself, started eating at once, trying to make up for lost time.

The host, examining the sealed envelope handed to him, could see neither his name nor any address on it.

"Are you sure, Hodja Effendi, that this letter is for me?" he asked. "I cannot see my name on it!"

"Oh, yes! I'm quite sure!" replied the Hodja, between mouthfuls. "You will find no writing inside it either. You see, it was prepared in a great hurry!"



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