Apparently the beggar thought so as well. It made the soldier's long trek more cheerful, to whistle a beautiful tune, but it wasn't long until he met a second beggar along the road. This beggar played a beat on his worn old drum; the soldier stopped to dance and whistle along in his equally worn old boots, and out of pity for the poor beggar, gave him the second of his biscuits so that he now only had one for himself. This beggar too was grateful, and wished with all his heart the soldier might have finer boots so that he would always dance so well. Still cheered, the soldier departed once more and found again that his worn old boots were now soft and new. This made the soldier's journey more comfortable, as new shoes often do. Whistling and dancing, he continued his lonely journey happily, though he was beginning to get very hungry and only had one biscuit left.
It was not long until the soldier met another a beggar on the side of the road. This beggar was even thinner and more sickly than the other three, and played a game of solitaire with an old set of cards. By this point the soldier was just as hungry himself. He thought about breaking the last biscuit in half and sharing with the third beggar, but since he had given a whole biscuit to the other two, he could not bring himself to do it, and instead headed over the whole last biscuit.
"You're a good man, soldier," said the third beggar. "And you deserve better than to be on your last biscuit that you've shared with an old man like me. I don't have much to give you in return, but take these cards, and may they never lose for you." But feeling still grateful for the soldier's kindness, the third beggar pulled out a dingy sack and offered it up as well. "Don't let this sack fool you," he said. "Despite its appearance, it is a wondrous thing. It will hold anything you wish, no matter the size, so long as you give the order."
The soldier thanked him. With his pack of cards and the sack as empty as his stomach, the soldier took to the road again, with a ruby whistle and a skip in his step. After a while he came across three geese, and remembering the beggar's words, ordered them straight into his sack.
no subject
It was not long until the soldier met another a beggar on the side of the road. This beggar was even thinner and more sickly than the other three, and played a game of solitaire with an old set of cards. By this point the soldier was just as hungry himself. He thought about breaking the last biscuit in half and sharing with the third beggar, but since he had given a whole biscuit to the other two, he could not bring himself to do it, and instead headed over the whole last biscuit.
"You're a good man, soldier," said the third beggar. "And you deserve better than to be on your last biscuit that you've shared with an old man like me. I don't have much to give you in return, but take these cards, and may they never lose for you." But feeling still grateful for the soldier's kindness, the third beggar pulled out a dingy sack and offered it up as well. "Don't let this sack fool you," he said. "Despite its appearance, it is a wondrous thing. It will hold anything you wish, no matter the size, so long as you give the order."
The soldier thanked him. With his pack of cards and the sack as empty as his stomach, the soldier took to the road again, with a ruby whistle and a skip in his step. After a while he came across three geese, and remembering the beggar's words, ordered them straight into his sack.
What do you think happened here, then?