“What is your complaint?” asked the judge.
“My lord, this man took my son out for a walk with him, and came back alone, and now he says a hawk carried him off. He must have murdered the boy! Justice, my lord, justice!”
“What is this?” asked the judge sternly. “Come, my man, tell the truth.”
“It is the truth, my lord,” said the man; “he came with me for a walk, and was carried away by a hawk.”
“Nonsense!” said the judge. “Who ever heard of a hawk carrying off a boy?”
“And who ever heard, my lord, of a rat eating a plough?”
“What do you mean?” asked the judge.
The man told his story. Then the judge saw that the man who complained had cheated his friend, and understood what was the reason of this little trick. So he said to the man whose son was lost:
“If you find the plough that was entrusted to you, perhaps your son may be found too.”