The Loan of a Cauldron

[Music] Down winding streets in many quiet towns across the land, you can often find a coffee house where neighbors gather at the noon hour. This is just such a street, clean and quiet. Well, at least quiet today. The shake is going to tell one of his hocher stories. Hamid, do you want to join us? The waiter said I was making a mess in his coffee house. You're not doing the street much good either. Well, come along if you want to. Good morning, Bour. What is the news today? mostly bad. Our government is going from bad to worse. I didn't get that impression when I read my newspaper. Let's see what you cut out, hammy. Mistakes by government workers, wasting of tax money, our bad foreign policy. The paper was full of such reports. I remember reading favorable news too about our industrial development and what the government is doing to reduce shortages in food and housing. Ah, I don't believe that stuff. You don't believe anything good about our government, but you save all the critical news. Amid, you believe just what you want to believe. I am wise enough to know the truth from the lies. You are foolish enough to believe whatever agrees with you regardless of what the truth might be. Amid, let me tell you a certain story about Naseredin Hocha and then I think you will see what I mean. that we should regard all news on the basis of what truth it appears to have and not believe it just because it is what we want to hear. Like many of us, Naseredine Hocha often thought about his stomach. One day, Naseredine did have everything necessary to cook a big lamb stew. according to a treasured recipe except a cauldron big enough to cook it in. That is why he went calling on two of his neighbors who owned the biggest cauldron in the [Music] village. The hoocher's friends made him beg for a long time before they let him borrow their cauldron. Finally, they agreed that he could have it for just one day, but they absolutely refused to help him carry How are you? [Music] For most of the day, the Hocher prepared his stew just as the recipe instructed. He could hardly wait until it was finished. [Music] But his appetite was not to be [Music] satisfied. In vain, the hoocha shouted. You bring that meat back. It will do you no good. You do not have the recipe. Sadly, the hoocher wondered how he could keep the cauldron another day to cook one good meal in. And he had an idea. Good news, my friends. Your big cauldron has given birth to a baby pot. For a moment, the two friends didn't know what to think. But there was the Hocher shouting so all could hear, "Your cauldron has given birth. I bring the baby pot to you." Since this was the kind of news they liked to hear, both of them accepted the little pot greedily and did not question the Hocha's story. Once again, the Hocha started work on his recipe. [Music] But the day soon came when the two villagers wanted their cauldron back. At the sight of them, the Hoer seemed to break into tears. I have very sad news for you. Your cauldron is dead. I cannot return it. The two villagers did not know what to think. A crowd began to gather. Who ever heard of a cauldron dying? What sort of nonsense was this? How can you doubt that your cauldron could die? the very same cauldron whose baby you accepted without question only a few short days ago. And when the people heard this, they could only laugh. And after a while, when the Hocha allowed his friends to take back their cauldron, they did so without a word. for their own foolishness had left them with nothing to say. The lesson in this story has lasted a long time. A wise man judges what is true from all the facts in the news, whether he agrees with the truth or not. The foolish man reads into the news what he wants to believe and what he thinks will be to his advantage. Wise or foolish, which are you? [Music]