Three men— two from the city and one from the country — set out on a pilgrimage to Mecca and agreed to share their food on the journey. But they didn't take enough with them, and at last all they had left was the flour to make one small loaf. As the loaf was baking, the men from the city fell to talking.

"There isn't enough bread for three," said one.

"We need a plan," said the other. They put their heads together and then said to the countryman,

"There isn't enough bread for all of us. So let us leave it till the morning, and the one who has had the most wonderful dream shall eat it." And the countryman agreed.

However, when the two city dwellers were asleep, the crafty countryman got up and ate the loaf.

In the morning, the countryman woke first, but lay as if asleep. He overheard the city dwellers muttering to each other. "I'll say I dreamed that two angels took me off to heaven," one said.

"And I'll say I dreamed that two angels took me off to hell," said the other.

Then the countryman pretended to wake. "What! Are you back so soon?" he exclaimed.

"What do you mean?" asked the city dwellers. "Why, I dreamed two angels came and took one of you to heaven and the other to hell. I didn't expect either of you to come back, so I ate the loaf!"