Journey of Mozalan Bey

Author: Gurbanali Sharifov

Yesterday I was in the Armenian town of Ailis [Turkified Armenian toponym Agulis – M.P.] situated nearby. What did I see? It seems that even fools would be surprised. First of all, I’d say that this town is like a nice district of Tiflis.

Beautiful mansions, clean streets, many large and nice bridges, a plethora of schools, libraries, reading rooms, buildings and educational facilities, all breathtakingly appointed inside and out. I swear to God [Allah in the original – M.P.], I was speechless.

And the people, I couldn’t recognize them, it was as if they had just arrived from France; clothes, manners, unthinkable cleanliness (speaking of cleanliness, I mean their appearance; don’t infer something else). Undoubtedly, I was impressed.

When I came back from Ailis to Ordubad, I saw again that in one house they were reading a prayer, and the muslims [this is the term that Azerbaijani Turks used to refer to themselves before the artificial name “Azerbaijanis” was invented for them – M.P.] gathered there were crying again.

I wanted to ask them: Oh brother, why are you crying? What is wrong now? Or, you have already understood that our neighbors, armed with enlightenment, will come here, take over your possessions and turn you into their servants?

And don’t let anybody tell you otherwise. If you pay attention to the history of world culture, even just a little, you’ll understand that this is what is going to happen in the end.

“Mullah Nasreddin” June 7, 1909

Translated from Azerichild

Caption on the top of the left picture in Turkic: Armenian Agulis

Caption on the top of the right picture in Turkic: Muslim Ordubad

Caption at the bottom of the pictures in Turkic: God created all people as equals; Satan led them along two separate paths, and this is the result.