Learn from Beast and Bird

There was a shepherd who knew the language of all beasts and birds. His wife was as cruel and heartless as he was kind and gentle. One day the shepherd overheard the talk between a couple of donkeys and smiled. “What made you laugh?” his wife asked him.

“I smiled at what the donkeys were saying to each other,” the shepherd replied. “Lies!” said his wife. “What can donkeys say to make you laugh?”

He would die if the shepherd told his wife what passed between the donkeys. But his wife kept insisting on knowing what the donkeys said. She tormented her husband so badly that he decided to tell her the conversation about the donkeys and die happily.

He made all preparations for his burial and lay down on his deathbed. His dog stood sadly by him, but the cock began to jump and hop excitedly.

“Is that the way to behave at such a moment ?” the dog rebuked the cock.

“Ah, our master is no man at all,” said the cock.

“I’ve fifty wives, and they all obey me. Our master cannot manage even one wife.” Hearing this, the shepherd jumped up from his bed, took a piece of rope and thrashed his wife. After that, his wife never nagged him.