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The Man, the Boy, and the Donkey |
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A MAN and his son were once going with their Donkey to market. As they were walking along by its side a countryman passed them and said: “You fools, what is a Donkey for but to ride upon?” |
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So the Man put the Boy on the Donkey and they went on their way. But soon they passed a group of men, one of whom said: “See that lazy youngster, he lets his father walk while he rides.” |
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So the Man ordered his Boy to get off, and got on himself. But they hadn’t gone far when they passed two women, one of whom said to the other: “Shame on that lazy lout to let his poor little son trudge along.” |
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Well, the Man didn’t know what to do, but at last he took his Boy up before him on the Donkey. By this time they had come to the town, and the passers-by began to jeer and point at them. The Man stopped and asked what they were scoffing at. The men said: “Aren’t you ashamed of yourself for overloading that poor Donkey of yours—you and your hulking son?” |
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The Man and Boy got off and tried to think what to do. They thought and they thought, till at last they cut down a pole, tied the Donkey’s feet to it, and raised the pole and the Donkey to their shoulders. They went along amid the laughter of all who met them till they came to Market Bridge, when the Donkey, getting one of his feet loose, kicked out and caused the Boy to drop his end of the pole. In the struggle the Donkey fell over the bridge, and his fore-feet being tied together he was drowned. |
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“That will teach you,” said an old man who had followed them:
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THE MAN, HIS SON AND HIS DONKEY
А MAN and his Son were once driving their Donkey along a country road, to sell him at the fair. They soon passed some girls, who were drawing water at a well.
"Look," said one of the girls; "see those silly people trudging along in [101] the dust, while their Donkey walks at his ease."
The Man heard what they said, and put his boy on the Donkey’s back. They had not gone far before they came to some old men.
"See here, now," said one of them to the others, "this shows that what I said is true. Nowadays the young take no care of the old. See this boy riding while his poor old father has to walk by his side."
Hearing this, the Man told his Son to get down, and he mounted the Donkey himself. In a little while they met three women with children in their arms.
"For shame!" said the women. "How can you let that poor boy walk when he looks so tired, and you ride like a king?"
[102] The Man then took the boy up behind him on the saddle, and they rode on to the town. Just before they got there, some young men stopped them and said:
"Is that Donkey yours?"
"Yes," said the Man.
"One would not think so," said they, "by the way you load him. You look more fit to carry him than he to carry you."
So the Man and the boy got off, tied the Donkey’s legs with a rope, fastened him to a pole, and, each taking one end of the pole, carried him along, while everyone they met laughed outright.
By and by they came to a bridge. Then the Donkey began to kick, and breaking the rope, fell into the water and was drowned.
[103] The old Man and his Son made their way home as best they could, thinking to themselves, "When we try to please everybody, we please nobody."
The Story of the Old Man, a Boy and a Donkey
An old man, a boy and a donkey were going to town. The boy rode on the donkey and the old man walked beside him. As they went along they passed some people who remarked it was a shame the old man was walking and the boy was riding. The man and boy thought maybe the critics were right, so they changed positions.
Later, they passed some people who remarked, “What a shame! He makes that little boy walk.” They then decided they would both walk.
Soon they passed some more people who thought they were stupid to walk when they had a decent donkey to ride. So they both rode the donkey.
Now they passed some people who shamed them by saying how awful to put such a load on a poor donkey. The boy and man said they were probably right, so they decided to carry the donkey. As they crossed the bridge, they lost their grip on the animal, and he fell into the river and drowned.
The moral of the story? If you try to please everyone, you might as well kiss your ass goodbye.
None of us can and will please everybody and as Photographers/Artists this is something we need to keep in mind…if not just for our own well being.
•Remember: You can please some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can’t please all of the people all of the time.
