Once upon a time, there was a man named Miller who lived in a little house beside his mill. All day, he worked hard and returned home to his wife and his little son at night. One day, the Miller made up his mind to sell their donkey. He and his son said goodbye to their ladies and started their journey. They walked slowly along the highway, thinking they would have a better chance to sell the donkey if they kept it in good condition.
As they walked, some travelers started laughing loudly at them. “What foolishness it is to walk when they might have a donkey to ride on,” cried one. “The most stupid of the three is not the one you would expect it to be,” said another. The Miller didn’t like the travelers who laughed at him, so he told his son to climb up and ride the donkey.
As they continued walking, three merchants passed by. “Oho! What do we have here?” they cried. “Respect old age, young boy! Get down, and let the old man ride.” Though the Miller was not tired, he made the boy get down and climbed up himself to ride, just to please the merchants.
At the next turnstile, they overtook some women carrying baskets loaded with vegetables and other things to sell. “Look at the old fool!” exclaimed one of them, “He is sitting on the donkey while the poor boy has to walk.” The Miller felt a bit vexed, but to please the passersby, he told his son to climb up behind him.
They had no sooner started again that a loud shout went up from another company of people on the road. “What a crime,” cried one, “to load up a poor dumb animal like that! They look more able to carry the poor beast than he to carry them.” They must be on their way to sell the poor thing’s hide, said another.
The Miller and his son quickly scrambled down, and a short time later, they came along carrying the donkey slung from a pole. A great crowd of people ran out to get a closer look at the unusual sight. The donkey didn’t mind being carried, but so many people came up to point at him and laugh and shout that he began to kick and bray.
Just as they were crossing a bridge, the ropes that held the donkey gave way, and he tumbled down into the river. The poor Miller now set out sorrowfully for home. By trying to please everybody, he had pleased nobody and lost his donkey too.
By Marwa Younus
Soggat Academy Kallag