The Man, the Boy and the Donkey
A man and his son were once going with their donkey to market. As they were walking along by its side a countryman passed them and said, “You fools, what is a donkey for but to ride upon ?”
So the man put the boy on the donkey. But soon they passed a group of men, one of whom said, “See the lazy youngster, he lets his father walk while he rides.”
So the Man ordered his boy to get off, and got on himself. But they hadn’t gone far when they passed two women, one of whom said to the other, “Shame on that lazy lout to let his poor little son trudge along.”
Well, the man didn’t know what to do, but at last he took his boy up before him on the donkey. By this time they had come to the town, and the passers-by began to jeer and point at them. The man stopped and asked what they were scoffing at. The men said, “Aren’t you ashamed of yourself for overloading the poor donkey of yours and your hulking son?”
The man and boy got off and tried to think what to do. At last they raised the donkey on their shoulders. The donkey fell into a river and drowned.
Moral : “Please all, and you will please none.”