One of Aesop’s Fables

One of Aesop’s Fables

You're going to like this story. It seems as if the farmer and his son were on the way to the market to sell their donkey.

As they approached a group of young girls on their way to the market, someone yelled, "Look at those two fools walking when they could be riding on the back of the dumb donkey."The farmer thought about what was said and decided to let his son ride the donkey and he would continue walking along side of him.

Meantime, they came across some neighbors who said, "You will spoil your son if you let him ride while you walk. You are the father. You should be riding and your son walking."The farmer followed their advice. He rode the donkey while his son walked. Soon they came across some women and children playing.

One of the women exclaimed, "What a selfish old man...making his son walk while he rides. How selfish can you get?"Hence, the farmer made his son get up behind him and they both rode off together toward the market. Everything was going fine until they met some fellow travelers. The travelers asked the old farmer, "Are you taking that donkey to the market?

"The farmer replied, "Yes, we're on our way there now.""Good heavens," they exclaimed, "by the time you get there, that old donkey will be exhausted and no one will buy him because he will be so weak and tired from carrying you two. Why, you old fool...you'd be better off carrying him!""OK...OK...anything to please the people. We will carry the dumb donkey then," said the farmer.So they tied the donkey's legs together and slung him on a pole...with the farmer at one end of the pole and his son at the other...moving on toward the market.

As they approached the market site, they started across a little wooden bridge. However, by this time, there was a huge crowd of people pointing at them and shouting, "You are two stupid fools...carrying a donkey on a pole. Who has ever seen such a sight before?"The crowd laughed and laughed and unmercifully harassed them and called them names such as lunatics & morons.

By now, the donkey was getting frightened by all the noise. He began to kick and bray and finally broke loose from the rope and pole...and fell into the water and drowned.The farmer and his son returned home very sad without the donkey or any money.

The moral of the story is quite simple: When you try to please everyone, you please no one...and you may lose your ass in the process. This was a true story written 600 years BC Even though it's found in Aesop's Fables, it was a true story. What do you think of the story?