فارسی / A2
صدای گران
مردی در مسجد با صدای بلند مردم را به نماز دعوت می‌کرد. برای این کار پولی نمی‌گرفت، اما صدایش خوب نبود و مردم از شنیدن آن ناراحت می‌شدند.
صاحب مسجد نمی‌خواست دل مرد را بشکند. به او گفت: «اینجا کسان دیگری هم این کار را می‌کنند. به هر کدام پنج سکه می‌دهم. به تو ده سکه می‌دهم تا به جای دیگری بروی.»
مرد قبول کرد و رفت.
مدتی بعد، صاحب مسجد او را در راه دید. مرد گفت: «تو پول کمی به من دادی! در جای تازه، بیست سکه به من می‌دهند تا بروم، اما هنوز قبول نکرده‌ام!»
صاحب مسجد خیلی خندید و گفت: «قبول نکن! صبر کن تا پنجاه سکه به تو بدهند!»
English summary · includes the ending
A man volunteers to call people to prayer at a mosque in Sinjar. His voice is so unpleasant that listeners dislike hearing it. The mosque's owner is a kind, fair ruler who wants the man to leave without hurting his feelings.
He explains that the mosque already has callers who receive five coins each. He offers this man ten coins to go somewhere else. The man accepts the agreement and leaves.
Some time later, they meet again. The man complains that the ruler treated him unfairly by paying only ten. At his new place, people are offering twenty coins if he will leave. He has refused their offer.
The ruler bursts out laughing. He advises the man to keep refusing, since they will eventually agree to pay fifty. The joke turns the wish for silence into an increasingly valuable offer. The story ends with that advice, without a further payment.
Adapted for Lejrbål from the credited source.
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