A man and his son were once going with their donkey to market.<>
As they were walking along by his 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, and they went on their way.<>
But soon they passed a group of men, one of whom said, “See that 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 passersby 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 that poor donkey of yours — you and your hulking son?”<>
The man and boy got off and tried to think what to do.<>
They thought and they thought, until at last they cut down a pole, tied the donkey’s feet to it, and raised the pole and the donkey to their shoulders.<>
They went along amid the laughter of all who met them until they came to a bridge, when the donkey, getting one of his feet loose, kicked out and caused the boy to drop his end of the pole.<>
In the struggle the donkey fell over the bridge, and his forefeet being tied together, he was drowned.<>
Try to please everyone, and you will please no one.<>
Aesop<>
