The Merchant and His Donkey
Once upon a time, a salt merchant had a donkey. The donkey was very lazy and always thought of ways to avoid work
Every day, he used to load his donkey with bags of salt and go to the market with his donkey to sell salt. On their way to the market, they had to cross a river regularly.
One day, while he and his donkey were crossing the river, the donkey slipped and fell into the river. The merchant helped the donkey to get out of water. On reaching the bank, the donkey noticed that the load on his back reduced drastically as more than half of the salt got dissolved in water.
The donkey was delighted. He thought he finally discovered a way to lighten the load on his back.
Next day, as usual, the merchant loaded the donkey with bags of salt and started walking to the market. As they were crossing the river, the donkey deliberately slipped in the water and his load was lightened like the previous day. He was overjoyed. He thought of using this trick every day to ease his work. The poor merchant was could sell anything for two days.
The third day also the donkey repeated the same.
But, this time the merchant understood that the donkey is playing tricks. The merchant decided to teach the donkey a lesson so that he will not spoil his business again.
Next day, the clever merchant loaded the donkey with cotton and started off to the market. As they reached the river the donkey played the same trick. But, this time cotton bundle soaked the water.
When the donkey came out of the water, he noticed that unlike the previous times the weight of the load has increased many folds. He could hardly walk. The merchant made the donkey walk with the heavy load to the market. Never again did the donkey ever think of neither slipping into the river, nor other tricks to get rid of his work.
