"While I was swimming about a
big bird seized your son, and flew up into the air with him. I
shouted, but I could not make the bird let go," he said.
"That cannot be true," cried the town trader. "No bird could carry off
a boy. I will go to the court, and you will have to go there, and tell
the judge."
The villager said, "As you please"; and they both went to the court.
The town trader said to the judge:
"This fellow took my son with him to the river, and when I asked where
the boy was, he said that a bird had carried him off."
"What have you to say?" said the judge to the village trader.
"I told the father that I took the boy with me, and that a bird had
carried him off," said the village trader.
"But where in the world are there birds strong enough to carry off
boys?" said the judge.
"I have a question to ask you," answered the village trader. "If birds
cannot carry off boys, can mice eat plows?"
"What do you mean by that?" asked the judge.
"I left my good plow with this man. When I came for it he told me that
the mice had eaten it.
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