Thursday, August 16, 2007

False prophet's surprise

In the dusk a man entered a village and claimed to be a prophet. The countrymen did not believe him, yet. "Prove it", they demanded.

The man pointed at the opposite wall and asked: "If this wall spoke and affirmed I am a prophet, would you believe me, then?"

By Allah, then we shall believe you", they shouted.

The man turned to the wall, put forth one hand and commanded: "Speak, oh wall!"

And the wall began to speak: "This man is no prophet. He's fooling you. He is no prophet."


As to my knowledge there does not exist an English version of Zülfü Livaneli's "Engereğingözüdeki kamaşma", published 1996 by Can Yayinlari Ltd. Sti, Istanbul,

I tried to translate the perhaps most amazing and sophisticated beginning of all novels I came to read within the past couple of years.
The author may consider my humble attempt a kind of hommage.

3 comments:

  1. Kind of a paradox.
    Is he a false prophet?

    The logical answer, should you think about it, is No.

    Think of the logic.

    For the prophet to make the statement means he expects a response.

    The fact that the response is what it is, can only be a test of faith for the hearers.
    Who speaks from the wall, truth or lies?

    The logical answer has to be lies :)

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  2. I love the first page of 'Aldus Sprach Zarathoustra' by F. Nietzsche..))

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  3. Crushed,
    thus spake Tetrapilotomos:
    I told you, Sean, to abandon the "False", as mostly less proves to be more.
    And on he went: CBI should be given advisory status in the Order of Tetrapilotomy.

    Hans,
    thus spake Zarathustra: One must have chaos in oneself to be able to give birth to a dancing star. :)

    ReplyDelete