[dropcap]A[/dropcap] miller and his son were driving their ass to a nearby fair to sell him. They had not gone far when they came across a group of girls returning from town. They were in a merry mood, talking and laughing, and when they saw the miller and his son, one of tem cried out, “Look there! Did you ever see such fools like these two, trudging on foot when they could be riding?”
Upon hearing this, the old man told his son to get on the ass while he walked along cheerfully by his side. Soon they came to a group of men who were having a serious argument.“There!” said one of them. “That proves what I was saying. There’s no more respect shown to the old nowadays. Do you see that young loafer riding while his old father has to walk? Get down, you miserable creature, and let the old man rest his weary limbs!”
Upon hearing this, the father made his son dismount and then got on the ass himself. They had not proceeded very far when they met a company of women and children.
“Why, you lazy old fellow!” cried several tongues at once. “How can you ride that beast, while that poor lad there can hardly keep pace with you?”
The good-natured miller stood corrected and immediately had his son mount behind him. They were now about to reach the town, when a townsman said, “Is that ass your own?”
“Yes,” answered the old man. “Oh! I wouldn’t have thought so by the way you’ve loaded him down. Why, you two fellows are better suited to carry the poor beast than he you!”
“Anything to please you,” said the miller. “It wouldn’t hurt to try.”
So, dismounting with his son, they tied the Ass’s legs together, and with the help of a pole, they attempted to carry him on their shoulders over a bridge that led to the town. They made such an amusing sight that the people ran out in crowds to laugh at them. However, the ass neither liked the noise nor his situation and began kicking at the ropes that bound him to the pole. As a result, he tumbled off the pole and fell into the river.
Thereupon, the old man, angry and ashamed, made his way back home as best he could, convinced that by endeavouring to please everybody he had pleased nobody and lost his ass in the bargain.
