Atondido Stories
The nobleman promised to be most careful of the bird and,
dismounting, he handed his bridle to the laborer. That one
mounted the nobleman's horse and galloped off.
It is needless to say the nobleman never saw either man or
horse again. He waited and waited. At last when he could wait
no longer he decided that he would have to take the bird home
with him and let the laborer follow. So he lifted the edge of the
hat very carefully, slipped in his hand, and clutched—the dry
clod of earth!
Deeply chagrined he went home and had to bear the smiles
of his people as they whispered among themselves that my lord
as well as my lady had been swindled.
The laborer as he neared his cottage called out to his wife:
"It's all right, wife! You won't get that beating! I find that the
world is full of people even more gullible than you!"
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