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