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H I T A R P E T A R A N D T H E C H O R B A D J I Y A
HITAR PETAR AND THE CHORBADJIYA
* Hitar – bright, clever
* a chorbadjiya – a rich Bulgarian person or a trader during the Ottoman rule
Hitar Petar was a smart and imaginative person. He liked joking with his friends and relatives. He made fun of the unfair and ungrateful people.
One day, Hitar Petar was in his garden, feeding his nine lovely cows. His neighbor was an old and vise chorbadjiya. He had a big and rich house, but he envied Petar’s well fed and nice cows. He watched Petar milked them and how he tasted the delicious milk. His heard was filled with envy and he wanted to steal the cows from their owner. He thought and thought and decided to trick Petar.
One morning the old man approached Petar’s fence, leaned on it and said: ‘Dear Petar, give me one of your cows and it return, I will give you a hen.’ and he smiled viciously.
Petar looked at his neighbor, thought for a moment and then asked him:’What do you need my cow for, chorbadji, and what am I going to do with your hen? I love my cows, they are my only treasure. You have plenty of money, you don’t need my animals.’’How stupid you are, Petar! A hen will lay eggs, you can have omlets. You will have a delicious meal every day. A cow does not worth a thing. It only takes space in the yard and you have to milk it and clean it every day,’ replied the rich man.
* Hitar – bright, clever
* a chorbadjiya – a rich Bulgarian person or a trader during the Ottoman rule
Hitar Petar was a smart and imaginative person. He liked joking with his friends and relatives. He made fun of the unfair and ungrateful people.
One day, Hitar Petar was in his garden, feeding his nine lovely cows. His neighbor was an old and vise chorbadjiya. He had a big and rich house, but he envied Petar’s well fed and nice cows. He watched Petar milked them and how he tasted the delicious milk. His heard was filled with envy and he wanted to steal the cows from their owner. He thought and thought and decided to trick Petar.
One morning the old man approached Petar’s fence, leaned on it and said: ‘Dear Petar, give me one of your cows and it return, I will give you a hen.’ and he smiled viciously.
Petar looked at his neighbor, thought for a moment and then asked him:’What do you need my cow for, chorbadji, and what am I going to do with your hen? I love my cows, they are my only treasure. You have plenty of money, you don’t need my animals.’’How stupid you are, Petar! A hen will lay eggs, you can have omlets. You will have a delicious meal every day. A cow does not worth a thing. It only takes space in the yard and you have to milk it and clean it every day,’ replied the rich man.
Hitar Petar couldn’t refuse his wealthy neighbor and gave him one of the cows. He was sad for giving his animal away, but he couldn’t do anything else. He was grieving for days, feeding the hen and making omlets. He was thinking how to get his cow back and teach the chorbadji a lesson. Finally, he decided to ask his best friends Nasreddin Hoca and Pacala.
After taking his decision, Hitar Petar was feeling a little better. So, he phoned his friends Nasreddin Hoca and Pacala and told them he had a problem and that he needed to meet them at Sofia’s Central Market next Saturday at five o’clock.
Hitar Petar, Nasreddin Hoca and Pacala met at the market and went all together to have a coffee. Hitar Petar explained Pacala and Nasreddin about his problem and about how sad he was about his cow. The two men were silent and thought about Petar’s problem. After a while Pacala said that they needed a plan to trick your neighbor, the chorbadji, so he gives you your cow back. And Petar asked: “How are we going to do that? We have to plan the trick carefully!”
First they decided to paint some eggs in golden colour so they seem like real gold eggs and Hitar Petar would have to go to the rich man’s house to show him the gold eggs, full of happiness and excitement. Then they thought that Nasredin could print some posters telling the story of a hen that lays golden eggs and stick them around Petar’s neighbourhood for the chobardji to see them.
Hitar Petar, Nasreddin Hoca and Pacala met at the market and went all together to have a coffee. Hitar Petar explained Pacala and Nasreddin about his problem and about how sad he was about his cow. The two men were silent and thought about Petar’s problem. After a while Pacala said that they needed a plan to trick your neighbor, the chorbadji, so he gives you your cow back. And Petar asked: “How are we going to do that? We have to plan the trick carefully!”
First they decided to paint some eggs in golden colour so they seem like real gold eggs and Hitar Petar would have to go to the rich man’s house to show him the gold eggs, full of happiness and excitement. Then they thought that Nasredin could print some posters telling the story of a hen that lays golden eggs and stick them around Petar’s neighbourhood for the chobardji to see them.
Pacala offered himself to go to the rich man’s house and ask him if he has a hen that lays golden eggs, because he wants to buy one for seven million euros. Probably, the rich man will ask Pacala for a way of contacting him and he will tell him that the hen is not there and that she is very precious for him as to sell her, but that he will think about Pacala’s offer. Nearly sure, the rich man will go to Petar’s house and ask for his hen back. In that moment, Petar will have to ask his rich neighbour for his cow back and one million euros. They hope everything will come out as expected and they leave the café in Sofia, heading each one to play their role in the trick.
On the next morning, Petar painted some eggs in golden colour, and put them in a basket. He went to the chobardji’s house to show him the shiny golden eggs and he knocked on the front door…
On the next morning, Petar painted some eggs in golden colour, and put them in a basket. He went to the chobardji’s house to show him the shiny golden eggs and he knocked on the front door…
Chobardji opened the door and smiled at Petar and said, "Welcome!". He hadn't seen Petar's egg basket. He laughed loudly, telling about its delicious milk of the cow, without even waiting for Petar to answer. Chobardji looked very cheerful. Petar was frustrated with what he had heard, but listened. He was very angry with himself for giving the cow to him.
Chobardji said "I'm sure you're eating delicious omelets every day, Petar, my friend. It was a very nice shopping.". Petar smiled and replied: "You're wrong about that. The chicken I bought from you lays golden eggs everyday. I don't want to make with them omelettes. As you said, it was a really nice shopping." Petar smiled and showed the basket of on his hand. Chobardji's eyes were turned into a basket in Petar's hands, and the sarcastic smile on his face disappeared. Petar was holding a basket full of golden eggs on his hand.
Petar kept himself hard not to laugh when he saw the change in Chobardji's face. Petar said "That's why I came to you.Thank you very much for giving me such a valuable chicken. I think I'm gonna have to sell my chicken. Because I'll have nowhere to put eggs in a few days." And he started walking towards his house. Chobardji couldn't help looking at the basket in Petar's hand and the ironic smile on his face disappeared suddenly.
Chobardji said "I'm sure you're eating delicious omelets every day, Petar, my friend. It was a very nice shopping.". Petar smiled and replied: "You're wrong about that. The chicken I bought from you lays golden eggs everyday. I don't want to make with them omelettes. As you said, it was a really nice shopping." Petar smiled and showed the basket of on his hand. Chobardji's eyes were turned into a basket in Petar's hands, and the sarcastic smile on his face disappeared. Petar was holding a basket full of golden eggs on his hand.
Petar kept himself hard not to laugh when he saw the change in Chobardji's face. Petar said "That's why I came to you.Thank you very much for giving me such a valuable chicken. I think I'm gonna have to sell my chicken. Because I'll have nowhere to put eggs in a few days." And he started walking towards his house. Chobardji couldn't help looking at the basket in Petar's hand and the ironic smile on his face disappeared suddenly.