"Yes, today you come and say: Haji, buy a newspaper and read it. Tomorrow, God willing, you'll come and say: Haji, get up and go be Russian."

Molla Nasreddin is poking fun at Azeris who reject the periodical press as something foreign, in conflict with local tradition, while ignoring its benefits.

Meanwhile, Molla Nasreddin's audience was growing fast. According to Mammadguluzadeh's memoirs, the first issue sold 1,000 copies while this second issue sold 2,000.

 

Image: The National Parliamentary Library of Georgia