Most of the people who lived in the Land of Nowhere were simple and honest. However, as in any other country, there were rogues.
A goat
One day a villager took a goat to be sold at the Sunday fair. On the way, he met a man who laughed at him for walking with a goat. He said, “Why do you want to torture this animal? Carry it on your shoulder.” The poor villager thought for a moment and decided to carry the goat on his shoulder.
Before he could walk a mile, he met another man who said, “Why are you carrying a dog on your shoulder?” After he left the scene, the villager examined the animal thoroughly and found that that it was a goat and not a dog.
Doubts
While he was walking towards the fair, the villager met another man who said, “Are you mad to carry a dog on your shoulders?” After he left, the villager re-examined the animal and began to have doubts whether it was a goat or a dog.
He could not walk further as another man stopped him and said, “This is the first time I see a man carrying a dog on his shoulders.” The villager meekly said, “No, this is a goat, you must be making a mistake.” The man laughed loudly and went away.
Laughing stock
“Are you taking your dog for treatment? What is wrong with it?” Another man asked the bewildered villager. He put the animal on the road and examined it carefully. “Well, this animal has a mouth, four legs, two ears and a tail.
What they say must be correct. Like a fool I’m carrying a dog to the Sunday fair,” he thought. “I have become a laughing stock because of this animal and I must get rid of it immediately,” he decided.
Finally, the poor villager allowed the animal to run into the jungle. When the villager disappeared from the scene the rogues caught the goat and carried it away.