The Mice That Ate Iron

Once upon a time, a rich merchant was getting ready for a long trip. He couldn't take his valuable iron rod with him, so he left it with a friend for safekeeping.

After many months, the merchant came back to get his iron rod. But the friend had sold it and lied, saying, "Oh no! Mice came into my house and ate your iron rod." The merchant, understanding the lie, said, "These things can happen."

The next day, the merchant went to his friend's house while the friend was away. He took the friend's young son to a fair in the city. When the friend came home, he was very upset to find his son missing. His wife told him that the merchant had taken their son to the fair.

Worried, the friend rushed to the merchant's house. The merchant calmly said, "Something terrible happened. A hawk flew down and took your son at the fair." The friend shouted, "That's impossible! A hawk can't carry a boy!" The merchant replied, "But you said that mice ate my iron rod."

Angry and feeling cheated, the friend went to court. The king listened to the story and said, "If you think mice can eat an iron rod, then it is also possible for a hawk to carry a boy."

Hearing this, the friend admitted his lie about the iron rod. The court ordered him to give back the value of the rod to the merchant.