no , indeed , he would be sure not to look in the basket , said he . but on the way , he kept wondering as to what might be in the basket , and willy - nilly -- he could not keep from raising the cover a little , and looking through the crack . but that very minute a little lizard popped out of the crack , and ran across the road so quickly that it fairly hummed -- and aside from the lizard there was nothing in the basket . " stop , wait a minute , and do n't run away ! i just bought you , " said the youth . " stab me in the neck ! stab me in the neck ! " cried the lizard . the youth did not have to be told twice . he ran after the lizard and stabbed it in the neck just as it was slipping into a hole in a wall . and that very moment it turned into a man , as handsome and splendid as the handsomest prince , and a prince he was , if truth be told .
he kept wondering as to what might be in the basket .
why did the youth open the basket before he got home ?
why did the youth open the basket before he got home ?