Everyone enjoys hearing a humorous anecdote or a witty tale that evokes genuine laughter; indeed, people often turn to collections of anecdotes or popular proverbs before any other reading material. How fitting it is, then, for us to explore the heritage works that fill Arab libraries—texts considered rare and invaluable references—such as Ibn al-Jawzi’s *Akhbar al-Hamqa* (Tales of the Foolish).