One man was carrying pumpkins for sale, tied to the two ends of a beam. His path led past the court. The man entered it and sat down to rest in the hall.
A few minutes later a noise was heard. The judge asked:
-What are these sounds?
“Sir,” responded the seller of pampelmousse, “this is the sound of a rolling cart.”
“No,” the judge objected, “this is not a cart.” The man persisted:
- This is definitely a cart.
“If it turns out not to be a cart, then what punishment are you willing to bear?” - asked the judge.
- If this is not a cart, Mr. Judge, you can cut off my head! But if this is really a cart, then what will you give me, sir?
- I'll give you money.
The noise was getting closer. The judge ordered the item to be stopped in front of the courthouse; he himself went out into the street and asked the driver:
- What is it called?
- It's called a drawbar.
- And this?
- Wheel.
- And this?
- The hub.
The driver answered further questions from the judge with the names of other parts of the cart.
“I asked a lot,” the judge finally concluded, “but I didn’t hear anything that could be called a cart.” Go, they'll cut off your head now!
The pampelmousse seller was very scared. He asked:
- Wait, give me time to find a defender! I want to trust him with my business. If he cannot prove to you that I told the truth, then I ask you to cut off my head.
The man ran to the hare and said:
- Mister Sophea, come to my aid. A great misfortune hangs over my head, I am very afraid!
The hare inquired about the details of the case.
- Is that all? - he said. - Don't be afraid. I'll help. I promise this to you.
The hare and his client went to court. The hare asked:
- Mister Judge, what case has this unfortunate man started against you?
“My dear sophea,” said the judge, “this man is an extraordinary insolence!” Here's what happened: I heard a noise and asked about the reason. This man took it upon himself to answer. “It’s the sound of a cart,” he said. We argued: if it was not a cart, he agreed to pay with his head. For my part, I undertook to give him money if it turned out to be a cart. Finally the subject of our dispute appeared. We went out together to look at it, and no one called it a cart! Therefore, I won!
“Sir,” remarked the hare, “you speak absolutely rightly.” Surely you have won. So, I ask you to cut off this man's head.
The defendant was horrified. He exclaimed:
- This is so, Mr. Sophea, are you helping me? I entrusted my life to you, and you yourself propose to the judge to cut off my head? And this is all the help you give me?
“Be silent!” cried the hare. “That was your condition; you have no choice but to pay with your head.
The poor man, trembling, bowed his head. The judge took the saber and swung it menacingly, but the hare stopped him.
“Excuse me, sir,” he said. “Pay attention to what you are about to chop off!” What's it called?
- This is hair. -What do you call it?
- Skin.
-What is under the skin?
- Scull.
- So what do you want to chop off?
- Head.
“But, sir, I see hair, skin, a skull, but not a head!” When you bet, you didn't see the cart. In turn, I don't see the head. If you would like to show me the head, I will show you the cart.
It was decided that the judge and the pumpkin seller were quits.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru