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Akhfash's goat
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Akhfash's goat[1] is a Persian parable in which a philosopher trains his pet goat to nod its head
when asked if it had understood a book that it was shown.[2] The term "Akhfash's goat" (Būzé
Akhfash) refers to a person who nods along with a conversation that they do not understand.[2]

History[edit]
The term "Akhfash's goat" has different meanings depending on the parable version.
Pawan Sharma's story describes Akhfash as a solitary man who speaks only to his goat. While the
reasons for his isolation are left unclear, it is possible Akhfash found himself friendless after being
too forceful in his attempts to convince others to accept his beliefs. Akfash may have tried so hard to
persuade others that he was left with only his goat to listen to and agree with him.
In another narration, Akhfash is described as a rigid authority figure. In this telling, Akhfash ties a
rope to the neck of a goat, attaches the rope to a pulley, and makes the goat nod by pulling on the
rope whenever he addresses the public. This was used to demonstrate how subservient and
receptive his audiences should be. Under this interpretation “Akhfash’s goat” doesn’t describe a fool
who agrees without thinking, but is instead used as a stand-in for the poor and downtrodden who are
forced to comply with the commands of the powerful.

References[edit]
1. ^ "A grammar of the Persian language". google.com. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
2. ^ Jump up to:a b Ibrâhîm, Muḥammad (1841). A grammar of the Persian language. Oxford University.
p. 223.

External links[edit]
 Farhang Sara website
 [1]
Categories:
 Parables
 Persian culture
 Persian literature
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 This page was last edited on 29 July 2015, at 16:44 (UTC).

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