The Tale of the Bull and the Ass

Once upon a time, there was a very special merchant. This merchant had a superpower: he could understand the language of animals. Imagine that! So, he always knew what his animals were chatting about. On his farm, he had a hardworking bull and a smart donkey. The bull plowed the fields, and the donkey carried goods to the market.

One sunny day, while the bull and the donkey were munching on their lunch in the garden, they started talking. The bull, tired from a long day of work, sighed and said, "You have it so easy, my friend. You just carry light loads, but I work hard all day in the fields. My food is the same as yours, and my stable smells like an old sock."

The donkey, who fancied himself a bit of a genius, replied, "Well, why don’t you pretend to be sick? When the farmer comes to take you to the fields, just lie down and don’t get up. Groan and moan like you’ve got the world's worst tummy ache. He’ll think you’re too sick to work, and you can have a few days off. Easy peasy!"

The bull, excited by the idea, thanked the donkey for the advice and decided to try the plan. Meanwhile, the merchant, who was sneaking around like a ninja behind a big tree, heard their entire conversation. He decided it was time for some fun.

The next morning, when the farmer came to take the bull to the fields, the bull lay on the ground, groaning and acting like a drama queen. "Oh no, my poor bull is sick! He cannot work today. He needs to rest," said the farmer, looking very worried.

The farmer rushed to the merchant and explained the situation. "Sir," he said, "the bull is very sick and cannot work today. What should I do?"

The merchant, trying not to laugh, replied, "Take the donkey instead. Let the donkey work with the plow in the fields today."

The farmer, scratching his head, did as he was told. He went to the donkey and said, "Since the bull is sick, you must go to the fields and plow today." The donkey's eyes widened. "Wait, what? This was not part of the plan!" he thought. But he had no choice. He spent the whole day working hard under the hot sun, plowing the fields.

That evening, the donkey returned home dragging his hooves, exhausted. The bull, feeling like a million bucks after his day off, greeted the donkey cheerfully. "How was your day, my friend?" asked the bull.

The donkey, panting and sore, replied, "It was the worst day ever! I had to work very hard, and now I’m as tired as a sloth after a marathon. The farmer was not happy with my work and kept mumbling something about trading you for sausages if you pretend to be sick again. So, maybe... don’t do that."

The bull felt sorry for the donkey and decided to return to work the next day. He realized that it was better to do his fair share of work rather than avoid it. The merchant, who had been eavesdropping like a spy again, smiled and thought, "Lesson learned."

The next morning, the bull got up bright and early and went to the fields with the farmer. The donkey went back to his usual job of carrying goods to the market, feeling relieved. From that day on, the bull and the donkey continued to live on the farm, each doing their part and helping the merchant and the farmer. They remained friends and never tried to trick anyone again.

And they all lived happily ever after, with no more sneaky plans and a lot more teamwork.

There once was a merchant, clever and wise,
Who understood animals, much to their surprise.
He had a strong bull, so loyal and true,
And a smart little donkey who knew what to do.

The bull plowed the fields from morning to night,
While the donkey carried goods, oh what a sight!
One day, in the garden where they both fed,
The bull sighed deeply and then he said:

“Dear donkey, your life is so easy and bright,
While I work all day, from morning to night.
My stable is smelly, my work never ends,
And yet we both eat the same food, my friend.”

The donkey, feeling sorry, gave some advice,
“Pretend you are sick, it might be nice.
When the farmer comes, just lie on the ground,
Make noises of pain, don't move around.”

The bull thanked the donkey and thought he’d try,
Not knowing the merchant was standing nearby.
The merchant had heard every word they’d shared,
And decided to teach them a lesson well-prepared.

The next morning, the bull played his part,
He lay on the ground, clutching his heart.
The farmer was worried, “Oh no, he’s unwell!
What should we do? Only time will tell.”

The merchant then said, “Take the donkey instead,
Let him plow the fields, while the bull stays in bed.”
The farmer agreed, and off they did go,
The donkey was nervous, but he couldn’t say no.

All day in the sun, the donkey did toil,
Plowing the fields and turning the soil.
That evening he returned, tired and sore,
While the bull felt better than ever before.

“How was your day?” asked the bull with a grin,
But the donkey just sighed, “Where do I begin?
It was tough and tiring, my muscles did bend,
The farmer was angry, he said it might end.”

“He said if you pretend to be sick once more,
He’ll sell you to the butcher, straight out the door.”
The bull, feeling guilty, decided right there,
To go back to work and be fair and square.

The next day, the bull woke up bright and early,
He worked in the fields, though his coat was curly.
The donkey went back to his usual chore,
Carrying goods to the market once more.

From then on, they worked without any tricks,
Helping the merchant with all of his picks.
They remained good friends, both loyal and true,
Knowing hard work was the right thing to do.