One fine morning, Mullah Nasruddin was wandering around a lake. The cool breeze was creating ripples on the surface of the water. Green grass and algae grew on the fringes of the lake. The air was filled with birds chirping.
Mullah Nasruddin sat down beside the lake, enjoying nature around him. He collected small pebbles around him and started tossing them in the water, causing more ripples in the water. The fish in the water darted around, trying to avoid the pebbles. Mullah was lost in thought, when he heard ducks quacking. He looked up to see a flock of ducks swimming close by in the lake.
Mullah thought to himself, “It would be nice to catch a duck or two for dinner.”
He got up and started wading in the water to get closer to the ducks. Mullah was very excited, as he thought about the duck soup he was going to enjoy. The ducks saw Mullah approaching and moved away. But, Mullah kept moving towards them, determined to have his duck and eat it too!
Mullah lunged towards them and the ducks flew away. A surprised Mullah slipped and went under the surface of the water. As he tried to gulp in some air to breathe, he gulped in water, instead. He finally emerged out of the lake, coughing and sat down on the shore.
he was determined to try to catch a duck or two, again. Even though I have failed the first time, I will try again. I shouldn’t lose hope. But the ducks were more cautious this time and had a different plan.
All the ducks were gathered at the centre of the lake and were not moving an inch. As Mullah Nasruddin had no option, he got into the lake and moved to the centre of the lake. But then, the ducks moved to the opposite corner. After several failed attempts, he got tired, and lay down on the lake side, to dry himself off and catch his breath.
After some time, he got up He sat down, by the lakeside again and opened his bag and took out a roll of bread. He dipped the bread in the water and began to eat it.
Some people from the village close by were walking past the lake when they saw Mullah dipping his bread in the lake and eating it.
A man asked, “Mullah, what are you doing?”
Mullah replied, “I am having Duck Soup.”
The man looked at Mullah asked bemused, “Duck Soup?”
The people in the crowd looked at each other. Mullah looked at their confusion and laughed and answered, “That is what clever people do. One who accepts what he or she has, is always happy.”