The Hungry Coat

By Carolyn C. Brown
http://worshipingwithchildren.blogspot.kr/2012/08/year-b-proper-18-23rd-sunday-in.html?m=1

The Hungry Coat: A Tale from Turkey, by Demi, is a colorful parallel to this story. Nasrettin Hoca, a wise old man, stops to help people deal with a goat and so has no time to go home and change clothes before a feast. When he goes to the feast in his patched, smelly coat, everyone ignores him and he is offered no food. So he goes home, cleans up and dons a magnificent coat. When he goes back to the feast and is welcomed in grand style and offered the best food, he begins putting pieces of food inside the coat saying “Eat coat, eat.” Asked about this, he says that when he came in his old coat he was given nothing but when he came in this coat he was offered food. He can only assume that his kind host felt that this coat must be hungry. Everyone at the feast laughs at themselves and praises Nasrettin Hoca’s great wisdom. The book is too long to read in its entirety, so briefly tell the simple story in your own words and start reading with “A servant ushered Nasrettin into the banquet hall, and his smiling host…” continuing to the end. Even taking time for dramatic flair, this part of the book can be read in fewer than five minutes. Though it could be shared in a children’s message, it is worthy of the “real” sermon and its presence there suggests to children that the sermon is for them too.

Cover picture of the Story book.
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