The 127-page book, titled Humorous Tales About Nasreddin Hodja, was translated from English version into Vietnamese by writer Di Li, with 60 illustrations by artist Nguyen Toan. 

“Nasreddin Hodja is a satirical Sufi,” said Turkish ambassador Akif Ayhan at the launch of the book last Saturday.

“Hodja is considered a popular philosopher and is remembered for his funny stories. He appears in thousands of stories, sometimes witty and sometimes wise. A Nasreddin story usually has subtle humour and is educational. His stories have been translated into many foreign languages, including Vietnamese,” Ayhansaid.

Born in 1208, Hodja’s legendary wit symbolises Turkish humour. His witty anecdotes have been the subject of hundreds of stories and plays, and are still evoked to impart wisdom.

As a cultural symbol of Turkey, the Nasreddin Hodja Festival is held annually from July 5-10 in his homeland in Aksehir.

Li, who reads a lot of books on Turkey and its people in English, including small tales about Hodja, finds a similarity between the tales of Hodja and Vietnamese Trang Quynh. Trang Quynh was a popular intellectual of the 17th century. — VNS