One day a poor man tied his horse to a tree and sat down for a rest.
A proud rich man, who was passing by, saw the poor man and also decided to take a rest. So he began tying his horse to the same tree.
“Don’t tie your horse to that tree!” shouted the poor man. “My horse is wild, it will kill yours. Tie your horse to some other tree.”
But the rich man answered proudly, “I’ll tie my horse where I wish!”
And he tied his horse to the same tree. Then he sat down and began to eat his dinner.
Suddenly they heard a terrible noise. This made both men jump to their feet: the horses were fighting! The two men ran up to stop them, but it was too late. The rich man, who was very proud of his horse, saw that the poor animal was already dead.
Then the rich man got very angry. “See what your horse has done!” he shouted. “Oh, my poor horse! Now you will have to pay for my horse! I’ll make you pay for it!”
Then he forced the poor man to go with him to the judge. “Oh, judge,” he said, “I know you are very wise and can settle all questions. This man’s horse has killed mine. Put the man in prison and don’t let him out until he pays for my horse.”
“Is that true?” asked the judge, turning to the poor man. “Has your horse really killed his?” But the poor man did not say a word.
“Can’t you speak?” asked the judge.
The poor man was silent.
He was asked a lot of other questions, but he did not answer any of them.
At last the judge said, “It’s no use questioning him. The poor man can’t speak.”
“Oh, sin,” said the rich man to the judge, “this poor peasant can talk just as well as you or I. He spoke to me very well out there on the road.”
“Are you sure?” asked the judge in surprise. “What did he say?”
“He told me not to tie my horse to that tree, because his horse would kill mine. He advised me to tie my horse to some other tree.”
“Ah,” said the judge. “Now I see. So you think your horse must be paid for, do you? Why didn’t you do as you were told? Why didn’t you take better care of your horse?”
Then the judge asked the poor man, “Why didn’t you answer my questions?”
“I wanted to make him tell you the whole story himself,” explained the poor man. “Now you can see who is telling the truth: that man or myself.”
The judge liked the poor man’s answer and praised him for his wisdom. So the poor man went away, and the rich man did not get any money at all.
