The Washerman and His Donkey
Once upon a time, there lived a washerman in a village at the edge of a forest. He had a donkey to transport his laundry to and from a nearby river. However, the washerman never fed the donkey with care, even though it had to carry heavy loads. As a result, the donkey became very lean and weak.
During the day, the donkey worked hard for the washerman, but at night, he was free to roam and graze wherever he pleased.
A New Friendship
One day, the donkey happened to meet a jackal who also wandered in search of food at night. They exchanged greetings, and a friendship began to blossom between them. In just a few days, they became fast friends.
The Melon Feast
One night, both friends were roaming in search of food when they stumbled upon a field of melons. They ate their fill and then returned home. This continued for a couple of months. The owner of the field was puzzled by the destruction of his crops and decided to stand guard all day long, but he could not catch anyone, as no one had come to the field.
After feasting on melons for several nights, the donkey became fat and healthy. Now, he could easily complete his day’s work.
A Foolish Decision
One moonlit night, the donkey was feeling very happy. Having eaten melons to his heart’s content, he said to the jackal, “Friend! I feel like singing today.”
The jackal felt frightened upon hearing this. He replied, “Dear brother, God has blessed us with a wonderful treasure of food. We have enjoyed it for many days, and look how healthy and hefty we have both become! We must not do anything that could bring danger to us or cause us to lose this treasure. Until now, no one has spotted us eating melons. But if you sing loudly, the owner of the field is sure to catch us and take action. So, I urge you to refrain from singing. You can do so when we are away from this place.”
But the donkey was not inclined to heed the jackal’s warning. He felt like singing a song, so he dismissed the jackal’s suggestion, saying, “I think you have no ear for music at all. My situation is different. I not only enjoy listening to music but also love to sing whenever I feel like it.”
When the jackal realized that the donkey would not listen to his advice, he said, “Fine, let me go. You can do whatever you like.” With that, the jackal hurried out of the field and hid behind a nearby tree.
Before leaving, the jackal once again cautioned the donkey, “Please try to understand what I’m saying. We are thieves, and thieves should never make noise. They must do their work quietly and secretly. Moreover, your voice is very coarse and irritating. It will surely alert the owner of the field, and he will either kill us or tie us up with strong ropes and beat us black and blue. So, enjoy the melons, but do so quietly.”
The Consequences of Ignorance
However, the foolish donkey ignored the jackal’s advice. He felt insulted when the jackal described his voice as coarse, so he rebuked the jackal, calling him wild and uncivilized.
Then, the donkey began to bray loudly. Hearing his voice, the owner of the field woke up, gathered his men, and rushed toward the field.
All of them began to hit the donkey with the clubs they had brought with them. After giving the donkey a sound thrashing, they tied a heavy log around his neck, which hung down to his knees. As he walked, it struck his legs painfully.
Now the foolish donkey realized his mistake and felt remorseful. After being kicked out of the field and having traveled some distance toward his master’s house, the jackal emerged from his hiding place and said, “Well, my friend, I think you’ve received a fitting reward for your sweet voice!”
The Lesson Learned
The donkey was so ashamed that he could not say a word. Moreover, his entire body ached from the merciless beating. Slowly, he made his way toward his master’s house with trembling legs. He felt so weak and exhausted that as soon as he reached his master’s home, he staggered and fell down. The bruises covering his body revealed all that had happened. It took him several weeks to recover fully.
Moral of the Story: “NEVER ACT FOOLISHLY!” This teaches the importance of careful consideration and thoughtful actions to prevent negative consequences.
