one day a man who had been to gather his cocoanuts loaded his horse heavily with the fruit. on the way home he met a boy whom he asked how long it would take to reach the house.

“if you go slowly,” said the boy, looking at the load on the horse, “you will arrive very soon; but if you go fast, it will take you all day.”

the man could not believe this strange speech, so he hurried his horse. but the cocoanuts fell off and he had to stop to pick them up. then he hurried his horse all the more to make up for lost time, but the cocoanuts fell off again. many times he did this, and it was night when he reached home.