THE NAIL
BY THE BROTHERS GRIMM (TRANSLATED)[7]
[7] From the Riverside Fourth Reader.
A merchant had done good business at the fair;
he had sold his wares, and filled his bag with gold
and silver. Then he set out at once on his journey
home, for he wished to be in his own house before
night.
At noon he rested in a town. When he wanted
to go on, the stable-boy brought his horse, saying:
``A nail is wanting, sir, in the shoe of his left
hind foot.''
``Let it be wanting,'' answered the merchant;
``the shoe will stay on for the six miles I have still
to go. I am in a hurry.''
In the afternoon he got down at an inn and had
his horse fed. The stable-boy came into the room
to him and said: ``Sir, a shoe is wanting from your
horse's left hind foot. Shall I take him to the
blacksmith?''
``Let it still be wanting,'' said the man; ``the
horse can very well hold out for a couple of miles
more. I am in a hurry.''
So the merchant rode forth, but before long the
horse began to limp. He had not limped long
before he began to stumble, and he had not
stumbled long before he fell down and broke his
leg. The merchant had to leave the horse where
he fell, and unstrap the bag, take it on his back,
and go home on foot.
``That unlucky nail,'' said he to himself, ``has
made all this trouble.'' |