he rode forth, but before long the horse began to limp. it had not limped long before it began to stumble, and it had not stumbled long before it fell down and broke its leg. the merchant was forced to leave the horse where it was, and unbuckle the trunk, take it on his back, and go home on foot. and there he did not arrive until quite late at night. "and that unlucky nail," said he to himself, "has caused all this disaster."