The Miller, His Son, and Their Donkey

In a peaceful village, there lived an elderly miller and his young son. They owned a healthy, sturdy donkey. One day, the miller decided it was time to sell the donkey at the market to buy some necessities for their home. Early the next morning, the father and son set out towards the town with their donkey. The weather was pleasant, and the road was dusty but manageable. Initially, both of them walked alongside the donkey, as they didn't want to tire the animal before reaching the market.

After walking for some time, they passed a group of young girls filling water from a well. Upon seeing them, the girls burst into laughter. One girl exclaimed, 'Look at those fools! They have a perfectly good donkey, yet both of them are trudging along on foot. At least one of them could ride!' The miller heard this and thought the girl had a point. He told his son to hop on the donkey's back while he continued to walk beside them.

Further down the road, they encountered a group of elderly men sitting by the wayside. When they saw the young boy riding while his old father walked, they shouted in disapproval. One old man said, 'Look at the youth of today! No respect at all. That lazy boy sits comfortably on the donkey while his poor old father has to walk through the dust. What a shame!' Hearing this, the son felt terribly guilty. He immediately climbed down and insisted that his father ride instead.

Now, the miller was riding the donkey, and the son was walking alongside. A little later, they met a group of women returning from the market. The women cried out, 'Oh, how selfish this man is! He sits there at ease while making that poor small boy walk in this heat. Doesn't he have any compassion?' The miller felt conflicted again. He thought that if both of them rode the donkey, no one would have anything to complain about. So, he pulled his son up behind him.

As they reached the outskirts of the town, both riding the donkey, they met a traveler. The traveler stopped them and asked, 'Is that your own donkey?' The miller replied, 'Yes, it is.' The man then said indignantly, 'You two are heavy, and you're both sitting on that poor creature? You should be ashamed! Are you trying to kill the animal? He looks so exhausted that you two are better able to carry him than he is to carry you!'

By now, the miller was completely bewildered. He felt he must please everyone. He and his son got off, tied the donkey's legs to a sturdy pole, and began carrying the animal on their shoulders. This ridiculous sight caused everyone on the road to roar with laughter. As they were crossing a bridge near the town entrance, the donkey got frightened by the noise and the awkward position. He struggled to break free, and in the commotion, he tumbled over the side of the bridge into the river. Because his legs were tied, he couldn't swim and drowned. The miller and his son returned home empty-handed. The miller realized that by trying to please everyone, he had pleased no one and lost his donkey in the process.