when evening after evening
the goat remained almost dry she determined to find out who the thief
was. So the next day she followed the goats at a distance and watched
them while they grazed. At length, in the afternoon, the old woman
noticed this particular nanny-goat stealing off by herself away from the
herd and she at once went after her. On and on the goat walked for
some way, and then disappeared into a cave in the rocks. The old woman
followed the goat into the cave and then, what should she see but the
animal giving her milk to a little boy-baby, whilst on the ground
near by lay the sad remains of the baby's dead mother! Wondering and
frightened, the old woman thought at last that this little baby might
be a son to her in her old age, and that he would grow up and in time
to come be her comfort and support. So she carried home the baby to her
hut, and next day she took a spade to the cave and dug a grave where she
buried the poor mother.

Years passed by, and the baby grew up into a find handsome lad, as
daring as he was beautiful, and as industrious as he was brave. One
day, when the boy, whom the old woman had named Nur Mahomed, was about
seventeen years old, he was coming from his day's work in the fields,
when he saw a strange donkey eating the cabbages in the garden which
surround their little cottage. Seizing a big stick, he began to beat
the intruder and to drive him out of his garden. A neighbour passing by
called out to him--'Hi! I say! why are you beating the pedlar's donkey
like that?'

'The pedlar should keep him from eating my cabbages,' said Nur Mahomed;
'if he comes this evening here again I'll cut off his tail for him!'

Whereupon he went off indoors, whistling cheerfully. It happened that
this neighbour was one of those people who make mischief by talking too
much; so, meeting the pedlar in the 'serai,' or inn, that evening, he
told him what had occurred, and added: 'Yes; and the young spitfire said
that if beating the donkey would not do, he would beat you also, and cut
your nose off for a thief!'

A few days later, the pedlar having moved on, two men appeared in the
village inquiring who it was who had threatened to ill-treat and to
murder an innocent pedlar. They declared that the pedlar, in fear of his
life, had complained to the king; and that they had been sent to bring
the lawless person who had said these things before the king himself.
Of course they soon found out about the donkey