Riding a Donkey Backwards: Wise and Foolish Tales of the Mulla Nasruddin

Trickster tales abound across many cultures and one of the most wily tricksters is Mulla Nasruddin, also known as Hodja, Joha or Afandi in various countries across Central and Western Asia. On the surface, Nasruddin may appear to be foolish but his actions and wise sayings expose human foibles.

The stories about him, of which these are just a selection, are short and pithy and their essence and brevity lends them to being retold orally. The collage and mixed media illustrations by an artist who grew up in Iran complement these humorous tales well.