A Donkey Tale

The village dhobie had a donkey who got fed up carrying a load of washing to and from the dhobie ghat daily.

One evening as the donkey stumbled along with a load heavier than usual, it resolved to run away into the forest, where it was sure life would be easy, with plenty to eat and nothing to do.

Waiting till his master was sound asleep that night, the donkey stole into the forest, ready to enjoy a sedentary life.

With the coming day, the donkey strolled along, looking for something good to eat. Suddenly, a big ferocious wolf jumped from behind a tree and stood in the donkey’s path.

The donkey had no wish to be the wolf’s breakfast, so thinking quickly, he put on a decided limp.

The wolf stood there smacking its lips. Let my friend limp around,’ he thought. ‘I will play with him and then eat him at leisure.’

“How come you are SO lame?” the wolf asked, with visions of what a tasty breakfast this donkey would make.

The donkey gave his head a sorrowful shake. “Alas, my friend,” he said. “I must have a sharp stone embedded in the hoof of my hind leg. I know you are thinking of making a meal of me, but be charitable and make my last moments in life happy by removing the stone.”

The wolf thought this silly donkey could not escape, so I might as well please him. So the wolf picked up the donkey’s leg and examined the hoof. The donkey lashed out with his leg and laid the wolf out cold.

Eyeing his unconscious enemy, the donkey realised he had learnt a lesson, and it was far better to carry the washing on its back than make a meal for a wolf. And so the donkey trotted happily back to the village.