What Trick Is Played By The Merchant On His Friend In The Fable?
A merchant, who dealt in iron, had to leave town for a while. He asked his friend to look after his iron supply while he was away. The friend agreed, but when left in charge of the stock he gave into temptation, stole the iron and hid it away. When the merchant came back, his friend told him sadly, “I’m afraid all your iron was eaten by a huge rat.” The merchant remained calm, said it could have happened to anyone and accepted the friend’s invitation to dinner that night. Then he went home; on the way, he met his friend’s little boy, took him home and left him shut up in a comfortable room. That night he found his friend in great distress because his child was missing. The merchant explained calmly that he had seen the boy carried off by an owl. “Don’t be ridiculous!” shouted his friend. “In a country where a rat can eat a room full of iron” said the merchant, “anything can happen.” The friend gave in, told him where the iron was hidden and got his son back.
