A little story for Christmas!

The Smuggler

Every day, Mustafa took his straw-laden donkey across the border. But one day, he was stopped by a customs officer, who eyed him suspiciously.

“What have you got in that straw?” he asked. “Are you carrying any contraband goods across the border? If you are, you’ll have to pay a fee.”

“Look for yourself,” replied Mustafa. “I’m hiding nothing!” The customs officer poked about and found nothing.

This went on, day after day. Sometimes he would look in the donkey’s mouth, even under the tail! Nevertheless, the customs officer vowed he would never stop searching.

This went on for ten years, and the customs officer retired. However, the ex-officer thought one day he might have been smuggling gold dust in the donkey’s fur.

One day he was walking through the market and he saw a familiar face. It was Mustafa without his donkey. “Hey you! Come here! Aren’t you the man with the donkey laden with straw?”

“Yes I am,” replied Mustafa.

“And you were smuggling weren’t you? I am convinced you were. I searched you every day but I couldn’t find anything, because you were very crafty. But you can tell me now. Were you smuggling?”

“Yes I was!”

“I knew it! What were you smuggling?”

“Donkeys!” said Mustafa with a big smile.