13. The Lost Camel

A wise man of the East once met a company of merchants who had lost their camel in the desert. “Was the camel blind in his right eye, and lame in his left foot?” asked the man. “Yes,” they said. “Had he lost a front tooth?” “He had.” “And was he loaded with wheat on one side and with honey on the other?” “Yes, yes.” “Then,” said the man, “I haven’t seen your camel.” The merchants were angry and said: “You must have seen him, because you know all about him. You have taken our jewels and money from his load.” They seized the man and brought him to the judge, who heard the story. The judge, as well as the merchants, thought the man knew more about the camel than he wished to tell. “How did you know the camel was blind in one eye?” asked the judge. “I knew the camel was blind in one eye because it had eaten the grass on only one side of the path.” “How did you know it was lame in its left leg?” “Because I saw that the print of that foot was fainter.” “How did you know he had lost a tooth?” “Because wherever it had grazed a small tuft of grass was left untouched in the center of the bunch.” “But how could you tell what its load was?” cried the merchants; “tell us that.” “The busy ants on one side and the flies on the other showed me the camel was loaded with wheat and honey, and I knew it had strayed because there were no footprints before or behind.” “Go,” said the judge, “look for your camel.” The merchants did so, and found the beast not far away.