96.The Donkey and the Grasshoppers
A DONKEY heard some grasshoppers chirping and was charmed. Wanting to make melodies as well as they did, he demanded to know what sort of food they lived on to give them such beautiful voices.
“The dew,” they answered.
The donkey decided that he would live only on dew, and in a short time starved to death.
❖ At times we have to examine ourselves to put our lives in order.
❖ We often do well when we stop longing for things that are not in our alley. Otherwise we can bring mishap on ourselves.
❖ We do well in pursuing nothing to our loss.
95.The Donkey and the Frogs
A DONKY who was carrying a load of wood was crossing a bog one day when he slipped and fell. Unable to rise because of his load, he groaned heavily. Some frogs in the pool heard all this moaning and said,
“What sort of noise would you make if you had to live here always as we do, when you make such a fuss about a mere fall into the water?”
❖ Men often bear little grievances with less courage than they do large misfortunes.
❖ “You may lament your corn on the foot till someone without a leg comes along.”
94.The Donkey and His Shadow
A TRAVELLER hired a donkey to carry him to a distant place. The day was intensely hot, and the sun was even hotter. The traveller stopped to rest and sought shelter from the heat under the shadow of the donkey. The owner who accompanied him, found no other shelter there, and the donkey shadow gave protection only for one.
Both the traveller and the owner of the donkey claimed it, and took to arguing violently as to whom of them the right to the shadow had. The owner claimed that he had let out the donkey only, and not his shadow. The traveller asserted that along with hiring the donkey, he had hired his shadow too. The quarrel went on from words to blows, and while the men fought, the donkey galloped off.
❖ In quarelling about the shadow we often lose the substance.
93.The Donkey and His Masters
THERE was a donkey who belonged to an herb-seller who gave him too little food and too much work. So the animal begged Sir Success to release him from the herb-seller and give him another master. Sir Success then saw to it that he was sold to a potter. Shortly afterwards the donkey found that he now had heavier loads to carry and harder work as well. So he asked Sir Success for another master. Sir Success saw to it that he was sold to a tanner. This time the donkey found that he had fallen into still worse hands. And when he noticed what his master was doing for a living, he groaned,
“I would have been better off being starved by my first master or overworked by the other, than to have been bought by this new owner: Even when I am dead he will use me; flay me and tan my hide: make what is left of me useful to somebody.”
❖ Good living and success may be had if you tackle bad people that make use of others to their hearts’ content.
