The Jar Of Honey

A group of explorers are searching for ancient tombs in the heart of Egypt. Things are going poorly; they've made no discoveries so far, and a few of them have fallen ill. After another day absent of valuable treasure they start the short trek back to camp. Unfortunately for them, a sandstorm whips up out of nowhere and they're forced to take shelter under the nearest rock they can find.

But, once the six men have dived into cover, they realise that it's not just a rock after all. A dark stone tunnel leads down into the earth. It's exactly what they've been searching for all this time. Excitedly, they switch on their torches and head down.

At the very bottom they emerge into what can only be a treasure room. Priceless artefacts are stacked about the walls. Ecstatic at their discovery, they begin to sort through the treasure. One of them calls the others over and shows them what he's found. It's a jar of honey, still perfectly preserved after all these years. Priceless.

However, they find that the sandstorm is not about to die down anytime soon. They're stuck in the treasure room until it dies down. And they know that these things can sometimes go on for days. Still, the sit down and try to wait it out.

Hours pass, then a day, then another. They have canteens of water, but no food, and they're getting increasingly hungry. It's then that one of them suggests that they dig into the preserved honey; after all, it should still be safe, and it is a desperate time.

The others agree, and the six explorers gather round and start to eat the sweet honey with their fingers. It's delicious; all the better because they're so hungry. One of them coughs suddenly, and fishes out a hair. He chucks it aside, too hungry to care.

When they're about halfway through the jar, one of them digs his fingers into the sticky stuff and feels something solid. He reaches right in and grabs it; something round and soft. Curious, he pulls it out. The other explorers stare in horror at the dripping thing in his hand. It is a baby, dried and shrivelled, but still preserved by the honey in which it sat for those hundreds of years.