here by the fire and dry off and I'll see to the horse."

The Poor Man pulled out his own cart until it was exposed to the rain in
order to make a dry place in the shed for the Beggar's cart. Then he led
the Beggar's gaunt horse into his tiny stable and fed him for the night
out of his own slender store of oats and hay.

He and his family shared their evening meal with the Beggar and then
made up for him a bed of straw near the fire where he was able to pass
the night comfortably and warmly.

The next morning as he was leaving he said to the Poor Man:

"You must come sometime to my house and visit me and let me return the
hospitality you have shown me."

"Where do you live?" the Poor Man asked.

"You can always find me," the Beggar said, "by following the tracks of
my cart. You will know them because they are broader than the tracks of
any other cart. You will come, won't you?"

"Yes," the Poor Man promised, "I will if ever I have time."

They bade each other good-by and the Beggar drove slowly off. Then the
Poor Man went to the shed to get his own cart and the first thing he saw
were two large silver bolts lying on the ground.

"They must have fallen from the Beggar's cart!" he thought to himself
and he ran out to the road to see whether the Beggar were still in
sight. But he and the cart had disappeared.

"I hope he has no accident on account of those bolts!" the Poor Man
said.

When he went to the stable to get his donkey he found four golden
horse-shoes where the Beggar's horse had been standing.

"Four golden horse-shoes!" he exclaimed. "I ought to return them and the
silver bolts at once! But I can't to-day, I'm too busy. Well, I'll hide
them safely away and some afternoon when I have a few hours to spare
I'll follow the tracks of the cart to the Beggar's house."

That afternoon he met his two rich brothers and told them about the
Beggar.

"Silver bolts!" cried one.

"Golden horse-shoes!" cried the other. "Take us home with you and let us
see them!"

So they went home with the Poor Man and saw for themselves the silver
bolts and the golden horse-shoes.

"Brothers," the Poor Man said, "if either of you have time I wish you'd
take these things and return them to the Beggar."

They both said, no, no, they hadn't time, but they would like to know
where the Beggar lived.

"He said I could always find him," the Poor Man said, "by following the
tracks of his cart."

"The tracks of his cart!" ech