28 lines
1.3 KiB
Text
28 lines
1.3 KiB
Text
The Nail
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A merchant had done good business at the fair; he had sold his wares,
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and lined his money-bags with gold and silver. Then he wanted to travel
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homewards, and be in his own house before nightfall. So he packed his
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trunk with the money on his horse, and rode away.
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At noon he rested in a town, and when he wanted to go farther the
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stable-boy brought out his horse and said, "A nail is wanting, sir, in
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the shoe of its left hind foot." "Let it be wanting," answered the
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merchant; "the shoe will certainly stay on for the six miles I have
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still to go. I am in a hurry."
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In the afternoon, when he once more alighted and had his horse fed, the
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stable-boy went into the room to him and said, "Sir, a shoe is missing
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from your horse's left hind foot. Shall I take him to the blacksmith?"
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"Let it still be wanting," answered the man; "the horse can very well
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hold out for the couple of miles which remain. I am in haste."
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He rode forth, but before long the horse began to limp. It had not
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limped long before it began to stumble, and it had not stumbled long
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before it fell down and broke its leg. The merchant was forced to leave
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the horse where it was, and unbuckle the trunk, take it on his back,
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and go home on foot. And there he did not arrive until quite late at
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night. "And that unlucky nail," said he to himself, "has caused all
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this disaster."
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Hasten slowly.
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