Tall Tales, Short Sayings, Old Beliefs

Whenever Lebanese people get together to enjoy themselves, they love to tell anecdotes and jokes। All over the Arab world, people tell stories about Jeha the fool. (Sometimes he’s not so foolish!) Here’s a favorite story from Lebanon:

One day Jeha was hired to take 12 donkeys to market to sell. It was a long way, so he rode on one. After a while he counted them to make sure they were all there. But looked around him, he say only 11. One was missing! He got down and walked around to count them again, tapping each donkey on the nose. This time there were 12. Relieved, he got back on his donkey and continued on his way.

Soon he stopped and counted them again – and again there were only 11. But when he got down and went around tapping each donkey’s nose, he found 12 once more. With a shake of his head, he started walking beside the donkeys. “Better to walk,” he signed, “than to keep losing a donkey!”

A Proverb for Everything

Also, in everyday life, the Lebanese use many proverbs। Some years ago a professor collected well-known sayings – and found more than 4,000 in one small village alone! Many Lebanese proverbs show the importance of the family and neighbors.

Throw him in the sea, and he comes up with a fish in his mouth। (A person can profit even in a bad situation.)

The one who took the donkey up to the roof should be the one who brings it down। (A person must pay for his or her own foolishness).

Source: Marston, Elsa। Lebanon, New Light in an Ancient Land. New York: Dillon Press.