Nasruddin in the Court

Once; Nasruddin was walking through the market when a young man from behind slapped his cheek.

He turned around and asked the man, "Why did you do this?"

The man apologized and said, "I confused you with someone I hate."

Nasruddin did not accept this apology and took the man to court. Unbeknownst to Nasruddin, the judge was a friend of the young man's father. Even though he knew the young man was wrong, he thought of a way to let him go without punishment. He asked him to pay one dinar to Nasruddin as compensation.

The young man said he had no money on him and asked to go home and fetch it; he would be back shortly. The judge allowed him to do so.

Nasruddin waited in vain for two hours, while the judge attended to other business. Then he went to the judge and slapped his face.

The judge asked, astonished, "Why did you do this?!"

Nasruddin explained, "I have other urgent things to and cannot wait any longer. I know that the punishment for a slap to the face is one dinar, and when the young man brings it, you can keep it."

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