Aesop's Fables - The Man, The Boy, and The Donkey

Once upon a time, a man and his boy were leading their donkey to the market. A passerby saw them and laughed, “Why walk when you have a donkey to ride?” Hearing this, the man placed his boy on the donkey's back.

On their journey, they met a group of men. One pointed and said, “Look at that lazy boy, riding while his father walks.” On hearing this, the man switched places with his boy.

Later, they passed two women. One clucked, “What a shame! The man rides while his small boy walks.” The man, confused, decided to ride with his boy on the donkey.

As they entered the town, people began to point and laugh. “How cruel to overload the poor donkey!” they exclaimed. Distressed, the man and boy dismounted the donkey.

In a daze, they tied the donkey's feet to a pole and carried it on their shoulders. This only caused more laughter among the townspeople. Nearing a bridge, the donkey struggled, causing the boy to drop the pole. In the commotion, the donkey fell into the river and, unable to swim with tied legs, tragically drowned.

An old man who had watched them said, "Try to please everyone, and you'll end up pleasing no one."

Once upon a time, a man and his son were taking their donkey to the market. The sun was warm, and the road was dusty.

A traveler walking by saw them and laughed. "Why are you walking when you have a donkey?" he said. "One of you should ride it!"

Hearing this, the man put his son on the donkey’s back.

As they walked on, they passed some men. One of them frowned. "Look at that boy riding while his father has to walk!"

Feeling embarrassed, the man helped his son down and got on the donkey himself.

A little while later, they met two women. One shook her head. "What a shame! The man rides while his little boy has to walk."

The man sighed. He lifted his son onto the donkey so they could both ride.

When they reached town, people pointed and whispered, "How mean! They are making that poor donkey carry such a heavy load!"

The man and his son felt upset, so they both got off the donkey. Not knowing what else to do, they tied the donkey’s feet to a pole and carried it.

As they crossed a bridge, a crowd gathered, laughing and pointing. The donkey, frightened by the noise, kicked and wriggled. The boy lost his grip, and the donkey fell into the river. Since its feet were tied, it couldn’t swim.

The man and his son watched in shock as their donkey disappeared beneath the water.

An old man nearby saw what happened. He shook his head and said, "If you try to please everyone, you will end up pleasing no one."

There is a man and his son. They have a donkey. They go to the market. A person walks by and laughs. The person says, "Why do you walk? You have a donkey." The man puts his son on the donkey.

They walk more. They meet some men. One man says, "Look! The boy rides, and the father walks." The man gets on the donkey. The son walks.

They walk more. They meet two women. One woman says, "That is bad! The man rides, and the boy walks." The man and his son both ride the donkey.

They come to the town. The people laugh. They say, "How mean! The donkey carries a heavy load." The man and his son feel bad. They get off the donkey.

They do not know what to do. They tie the donkey's feet to a pole. They carry the donkey. The people laugh more.

They cross a bridge. The donkey moves. The boy drops the pole. The donkey falls into the river. The donkey cannot swim. The donkey drowns.

An old man sees this. He says, "You cannot make everyone happy."