m Moti's guess was like
a miracle, and clear proof not only of his wisdom but of his innocence,
for it was a pomegranate that he had put into the box. Of course when
the king marvelled and praised Moti's wisdom, everybody else did so too;
and, whilst the Afghans went off crestfallen, Moti took the horse and
entered the king's service.

Very soon after this, Moti, who continued to live in the serai, came
back one wet and stormy evening to find that his precious horse had
strayed. Nothing remained of him but a broken halter cord, and no one
knew what had become of him. After inquiring of everyone who was likely
to know, Moti seized the cord and his big staff and sallied out to
look for him. Away and away he tramped out of the city and into the
neighbouring forest, tracking hoof-marks in the mud. Presently it
grew late, but still Moti wandered on until suddenly in the gathering
darkness he came right upon a tiger who was contentedly eating his
horse.

'You thief!' shrieked Moti, and ran up and, just as the tiger, in
astonishment, dropped a bone--whack! came Moti's staff on his head with
such good will that the beast was half stunned and could hardly breathe
or see. Then Moti continued to shower upon him blows and abuse until the
poor tiger could hardly stand, whereupon his tormentor tied the end of
the broken halter round his neck and dragged him back to the serai.

'If you had my horse,' he said, 'I will at least have you, that's fair
enough!' And he tied him up securely by the head and heels, much as he
used to tie the horse; then, the night being far gone, he flung himself
beside him and slept soundly.

You cannot imagine anything like the fright of the people in the
serai, when they woke up and found a tiger--very battered but still
a tiger--securely tethered amongst themselves and their beasts! Men
gathered in groups talking and exclaiming, and finding fault with the
innkeeper for allowing such a dangerous beast into the serai, and all
the while the innkeeper was just as troubled as the rest, and none dared
go near the place where the tiger stood blinking miserably on everyone,
and where Moti lay stretched out snoring like thunder.

At last news reached the king that Moti had exchanged his horse for a
live tiger; and the monarch himself came down, half disbelieving the
tale, to see if it were really true. Someone at last awaked Moti with
the news that his royal master was come; and he arose yawning, and was
soon