Nasreddin in Bukhara

Nasreddin arrives in Bukhara with his loyal donkey after many adventures around half the world. The city is bustling with a lively bazaar as the Emir is about to hold court. At the city gate, his ingenuity is tested as he must find a way to enter without paying the heavy taxes.

Near a pond, Nasreddin spots Gyuldjan drawing water and is immediately smitten. He teases her with a playful nickname, and she replies with a cheeky quip, sparking an instant, comic romance. Their lighthearted exchange marks the start of a colorful relationship.

A man is about to drown, and Nasreddin demonstrates the correct way to save him after several failed attempts. The rescued man turns out to be Jafar, a wealthy usurer who has been troubling the potter Niyaz. Nasreddin uses a small trick with a coin to draw Jafar closer, signaling the start of his rivalry.

Jafar brings the potter Niyaz to court, demanding immediate repayment of 100 tangas plus exorbitant interest and costs. Niyaz pleads for a delay, but the Emir grants only one hour before the potter’s family faces slavery. Nasreddin comforts Niyaz and vows to raise the required 410 tangas.

To raise funds, Nasreddin regales tavern-goers with stories of his donkey's cleverness and wins their sympathy. People donate all they can spare, even if it’s old or broken, to help Niyaz. Nasreddin then negotiates with a buyer who agrees to pay the collected amount.

After lengthy negotiations, a buyer pays the full 410 tangas, enabling Niyaz to satisfy the creditor. The buyer turns out to be Jafar, who then reveals his long-held desire for Gyuldjan and his plan to marry her at noon. Nasreddin’s hustle succeeds, and Gyuldjan’s fate becomes tied to this bargain.

Jafar informs the Emir of Gyuldjan’s beauty, prompting a plan to move her into the palace’s harem. The abduction succeeds, and Gyuldjan is brought to the palace, where she falls ill from the trauma. The Emir’s interest in her intensifies Nasreddin’s perilous situation.

The healer and astrologer Hussein-Husliya arrives in Bukhara, seeking the Emir’s palace. Nasreddin sees a chance to slip inside by swapping identities with the scholar. He plans to use this disguise to navigate the palace and reach Gyuldjan.

Nasreddin convinces Hussein-Husliya to swap clothes with him, trading identities so he can enter the palace as the healer. As Hussein-Husliya, he gains the Emir’s trust and is asked to heal the sick girl in the harem. With the disguise secured, he proceeds to locate Gyuldjan and begin the rescue.

Nasreddin distracts the guards and frees Gyuldjan, then slips away from the palace in his new guise. He reverts to his own disguise and returns to the city, carrying Gyuldjan to safety. The escape marks a turning point as Nasreddin continues to outmaneuver his pursuers.

Back in the marketplace, Nasreddin, still in disguise as Hussein-Husliya, confronts the ongoing drama of Niyaz’s case. He persuades the Emir to free all accused if he reveals Nasreddin’s whereabouts, but explains that Nasreddin’s protector must be dealt with. Nasreddin then reveals his true identity, shocking the onlookers.

Nasreddin is sentenced to death by drowning, tied in a sack and carried to the pond. On the way, the carriers abandon him, and he exploits the situation to trick Jafar into swapping places. The sack is tossed into the pond, and Jafar drowns while Nasreddin reappears to jubilant crowds.

With Gyuldjan safe and the city’s upheaval resolved, Nasreddin asks for silence as he and Gyuldjan prepare to leave the city forever. The crowd cheers the trickster’s victory and the couple’s bond. They depart Bukhara to start anew beyond the city’s borders.