Reading

The Camel's Nose[[image:camel_and_arab.jpg width="117" height="179"]]
Old Fable

One cold night an Arab was sitting inside his tent. Suddenly a camel stuck his nose under the flap of the tent and said, "Master, be good enough to let me put your head inside the tent, for it is cold outside." "Very well," said the Arab, "you may put your head inside my tent." So the camel put his head into the tent. Then in a little while the camel said, "Good master, pray let me put my neck in the tent also. I may catch cold if my head is warm and my neck is cold." "Very well", replied the Arab, "you may put your neck in the tent, too." After a little while the camel said again, "Kind master, allow me put my forelegs in the tent. They take up only a little room, and it is uncomfortable standing this way." "Very well," said the Arab, "you may do so." The Arab moved over to make room for camel, for the tent was very small. Then in a little while the camel said, "Generous master, permit me to stand all the way in the tent. I keep the flap of the tent open standing this way, and the cold air rushes inside." "Very well, then," said the Arab. "You may come all the way inside." The camel crowded his way into the tent, but the tent was too small for both. "I think that there is not room for both of us in the tent," said the camel. "Since you are smaller then I, it would be better if you stood outside." With these words the camel gave the Arab a little push. Soon the Arab found himself standing autside in the cold, while the camel was enjoying the warmth of the tent. As Ara stood shivering from the cold, he said to himself, "I can see now that it is better to stop bad things before they get started."

Questions 1. Why do you think this story is called The Camel's Nose? 2. What reasons did the camel give for wanting to come farther into the tent each time? Do they seem like good reasons? 3. What did the Arab learn from his adou think of other bad things adventure with the camel? 4. Can you think of other bad things which should be stopped before they get started?