Since an old man and his son wanted to sell their donkey at the village market far away from their home, they had to take the animal along a dusty country road to the town. They had just left their home when a neighbor called to them. "Why are both of you walking, when you have a donkey?" the neighbor asked. "One of you ride, and the other can lead him." "That's a good idea, "the old man said, and put his son on the donkey while he continued to lead.
They were about halfway to town when three women standing by the side of the road scolded the boy. "You should be ashamed of yourself, riding while your father has to walk," one of the women said. "Is the donkey so weak that he can't carry both of you?"
You're right, I guess," the old man said. "Let me get on behind you, son." The donkey, carrying the old man and his son, had almost reached the town when a group of villagers began laughing at them. "You should be carrying the poor beast, instead of making him carry both of you," one of the villagers said. "I suppose so," the old man said reluctantly as he and his son get down. With the help of the still laughing villagers, they tied the animal to a pole so that they could carry it the rest of the way to the market. But as they were crossing the bridge just before the marketplace, the donkey kicked loose from the pole and fell into the stream and drowned. "Our donkey is dead now, and it should teach us," the old man said sadly to his son. "Wherever we try to please everyone, we lose."
They were about halfway to town when three women standing by the side of the road scolded the boy. "You should be ashamed of yourself, riding while your father has to walk," one of the women said. "Is the donkey so weak that he can't carry both of you?"
You're right, I guess," the old man said. "Let me get on behind you, son." The donkey, carrying the old man and his son, had almost reached the town when a group of villagers began laughing at them. "You should be carrying the poor beast, instead of making him carry both of you," one of the villagers said. "I suppose so," the old man said reluctantly as he and his son get down. With the help of the still laughing villagers, they tied the animal to a pole so that they could carry it the rest of the way to the market. But as they were crossing the bridge just before the marketplace, the donkey kicked loose from the pole and fell into the stream and drowned. "Our donkey is dead now, and it should teach us," the old man said sadly to his son. "Wherever we try to please everyone, we lose."
