The Miller, His Son, And Their Donkey
Aesop Fable: The Miller, His Son, And Their Donkey
A miller and his son were driving their Donkey to a neighboring
fair to sell him. They had not gone far when they met
with a troop of women collected round a well, talking and
laughing.
"Look there," cried one of them, "did you ever see such
fellows, to be trudging along the road on foot when they
might ride?"
The old man hearing this, quickly made his son mount
the Donkey, and continued to walk along merrily by his side.
Presently they came up to a group of old men in earnest
debate.
"There," said one of them, "it proves what I was a-saying.
What respect is shown to old age in these days? Do
you see that idle lad riding while his old father has to walk?
Get down, you young scapegrace, and let the old man rest
his weary limbs." Upon this the old man made his son dismount,
and got up himself.
In this manner they had not proceeded far when they
met a company of women and children: "Why, you lazy old
fellow," cried several tongues at once, "how can you ride
upon the beast, while that poor little lad there can hardly
keep pace by the side of you?"
The good-natured Miller immediately took up his son behind
him. They had now almost reached the town.
"Pray, honest friend," said a citizen, "is that Donkey your
own?"
"Yes," replied the old man.
"O, one would not have thought so," said the other, "by
the way you load him. Why, you two fellows are better
able to carry the poor beast than he you."
"Anything to please you," said the old man; "we can but
try."
So, alighting with his son, they tied the legs of the Donkey
together and with the help of a pole endeavored to carry
him on their shoulders over a bridge near the entrance to
the town. This entertaining sight brought the people in
crowds to laugh at it, till the Donkey, not liking the noise nor
the strange handling that he was subject to, broke the
cords that bound him and, tumbling off the pole, fell into
the river.
Upon this, the old man, vexed and ashamed, made the
best of his way home again, convinced that by endeavoring
to please everybody he had pleased nobody, and lost
his Donkey in the bargain.
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