600 Mulla Nasreddin Tales (Silsilah-I Tajdid-I Chap-I Mutun-I Mashhur-I Farsi) (Farsi Edition) [Paperback]

Muhammad Ramazani (Author, Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 1997

Collection of humorous tales in Persian (Farsi).

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Mohammad Ramazani

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Ibex Publishers (June 1, 1997)
• Language: Farsi
• ISBN-10: 0936347090
• ISBN-13: 978-0936347097
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #681,373 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

36 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Funny Stories for Speakers, June 15, 2000

By 

Frederich March - See all my reviews

This review is from: 600 Mulla Nasreddin Tales (Silsilah-I Tajdid-I Chap-I Mutun-I Mashhur-I Farsi) (Farsi Edition) (Paperback)

I read Molla's stories in English not being fortunate to know enough Persian. I hope they translate more of these stories to English, because just mentioning Molla's name brings smile to the people who know him.

In the present times, in the US we have Woody Allen, and in the East the impaccable Aziz Nassin of Turkey whose very name make you smile.

Molla's Character is popular in the Middle East as well as the Indian subcontinent, the same way as another Persian storyteller, Scheherazade is. Molla, in the Persian culture is title for the learned men or teachers. When people saw someone with beard and turban, they already assumed he is a molla so they would throw their questions.

For instance, Once Molla was hammering the nail at the end of his donkey's bridle, as he was going to a teahouse. Someone asked him: "Molla, where is the center of the world." Molla said," The center of the world is where I just hammered the nail to my donkey's bridle." Someone said, " I don't believe this." Molla took a sip of his tea and said, " If you don't believe it, go measure it."

In the forties and fifties Molla became popular among British. Some English speakers, in the hight of tension, during Nationalization of Oil, used to quote Molla when they wanted to break the ice with their Persian counterparts.

The funny stories did not solve the problem, but opened the door for many translations in English, Franch, German and many other languages. I have seen the book translated in Arabic, Turkish, Ordu and Hindu. In each of these countries they have, in years, added more stories to the old ones, giving the character a native identity. I am sure the Arabic Molla has some particular stories and the Turkish one some other. Molla now belongs to every country in Asia, as Sheharazade does.

This book is, however, in Persian. As the English version was a lot of fun for me to read, I'm sure Persians, who have a great sense of humor, will find this book much funnier than the English translation. Enjoy it.--Khandeh dareh!

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great Iranian joke book in Farsi., December 13, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: 600 Mulla Nasreddin Tales (Silsilah-I Tajdid-I Chap-I Mutun-I Mashhur-I Farsi) (Farsi Edition) (Paperback)

I have bought this book and read it, it's a great great book. I recomand everyone else to buy it also. (Az Khande Roode Bor Khahid Shod).

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent for Persian Language Students, January 20, 2008

By 

Khoshbakhti - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: 600 Mulla Nasreddin Tales (Silsilah-I Tajdid-I Chap-I Mutun-I Mashhur-I Farsi) (Farsi Edition) (Paperback)

I am a student of Persian and have found this book to be an excellent source of short stories that are both enjoyable and relatively easy to translate. The binding is sturdy and the pages are heavy and durable, (Important if you're going to make lots of notes inside!) All the vocabulary I had to look up could be found in the Hippocrene Standard Persian-English Dictionary, also available on Amazon.