Juha, The Middle East’s Everyday Hero
Tales of the wise old fool and his donkey are still beloved across the region and beyond
Western audiences have grown used to the fables of Arabia. Modern renditions of beloved Arabic characters like Aladdin, Ali Baba, and Sindbad the Sailor paint an image of hidden treasures, mystical talismans, and heroic sword fights.
But Middle Eastern folk prefer a different type of hero — a down-to-earth figure. This character is Juha, a wise old fool who is sometimes accompanied by his beloved donkey. Juha is neither a hero nor is he equipped with a saber. Nonetheless, he has been a part of Middle Eastern culture for centuries. He is a central character in Arab satire even today.
Juha first appeared in Al-Jahiz’s book “Saying on Mules” from the ninth century, though there’s a good chance he was adopted from oral renditions of tales. Juha’s characters then spread throughout the Middle East. He followed Arabs everywhere and his character morphed into many others. In Sicily, he is known as Giufà and in Turkey, his legend merged with Nasruddin's character. Versions of the beloved character also appeared in Romanian, Iranian, Balkan, and Jewish Sephardi folklore.
Arabs never forgot this beloved character and it is easy to understand why; every story is a mix of…
