The Lazy Donkey
I'll tell you in Romanian.
The Beginning of the Story
Once upon a time, there was a merchant who lived in a small village. He traded various goods at the market for money. The merchant had a donkey. He used to load sacks of goods onto the donkey's back and go to the market to sell them.
The merchant took great care of his donkey. He knew the donkey was important for his business. The donkey was kept clean and healthy. He was given healthy food. He was young and strong. He could carry a load of many sacks on his back and walk all the way to the market.
But he was also lazy. The donkey didn't like to work at all. He just wanted to laze around, eat, and sleep.
— Oh, to the market again. My master should take a day off. I love holidays! Maybe he doesn't need rest, but I do.
But the donkey didn't understand that his master couldn't take a holiday. If he didn't go to the market, then he wouldn't earn anything. And then even the donkey wouldn't have food.
A New Business
Depending on market demand, the merchant used to sell different things every day. Root vegetables, grains, vegetables, spices, and even fruits. He used to leave with the donkey daily from his village. Every day, to reach the market, they had to cross the river. The merchant took special care of the donkey when crossing the river.
One day, a friend told the merchant that there was a high demand for salt at the market.
— Aha! Thanks for the tip, my friend! I must start selling salt as soon as possible.
Soon, the merchant arranged for 12 sacks of salt to be sold. He took six sacks and started loading them onto the donkey's back. Then he realized the sacks were getting heavier and heavier. The donkey couldn't walk.
— Oh, poor animal, it must be very hard for him. Alright, I'll take one sack off. That should be enough.
Not wanting to hurt the donkey, the merchant lifted one sack off his back. Still, the donkey wasn't ready to go even then.
The merchant cared for his donkey, but he also knew the donkey was lazy. He took a stick and poked him.
— Oh, come on! Don't be so lazy! You've rested enough! We have to go to the market!
That day, the merchant sold all the sacks of salt at the market.
— Oh, my friend was right! The demand for salt is growing now!
The merchant started selling salt every day. He used to fill whole sacks with salt and load them onto the donkey. The donkey sometimes had to carry five, and even six, sacks to the market. Although he was unhappy, the donkey was always relieved when he returned home. Since the merchant sold all the sacks of salt, he had no load to carry back home.
The Magic of Water
A few days passed. Then, one fine day, the merchant loaded six sacks of salt and set off for the market. As they approached the river, the merchant noticed that the water level was a little higher.
— Let's go very slowly today. I don't want to slip and fall into this flowing water.
As they were halfway across the river, the donkey suddenly slipped on a large stone and fell with a thud.
— Oh, no! Oh!
The merchant somehow managed to help the donkey up and make him cross the river. The donkey was scared and in shock, but then he felt something.
— Hee-haw! The sacks are still on my back. Then why does my back feel so light? Oh! This river has magical powers! Hee-haw! Hee-haw!
What the donkey didn't know was that there was actually no magic in that river. When he fell, the water dissolved all the salt from the sacks. That's why the donkey felt no weight on his back.
There was no salt left in the sacks now.
— Oh, all my effort was in vain. What will I sell now? Thank goodness my donkey isn't hurt. There's no point in going to the market now. I should go home.
— What? No load on my back and no work? This is truly magic! Hee-haw! Hee-haw!
After his shortened journey, the donkey had a whole day to himself. He ate and slept all day. He was happy.
The Donkey's Plan
The next day, the merchant again loaded six sacks of salt onto the donkey's back and took him to the market.
— Oh, yesterday was so pleasant! Today I have to work again. Wait! I can avoid working! I can lighten my burden and go home! Just like yesterday! The water has magical powers! I'm sure it will help me again!
Unaware of the donkey's intentions, the merchant set off for the market. As they approached the river, the donkey took a step forward. And before the merchant could stop him, he sat down in the same spot where he had fallen.
— Oh! What are you doing, you fool! Get up!
But it was too late. The salt on the donkey's back dissolved into the water again. There was no burden left. Now the donkey was happy.
— Aha! No burden and no work! How did this happen? Wait a minute! Did this donkey sit down in the river on purpose? Oh! What a lazy animal! I take such good care of him, and this is how he repays me? I'll take him home. Now I know what to do.
The donkey thought he had found the perfect solution to avoid work. But the merchant had another plan.
A Lesson Learned
The next morning, the merchant loaded eight sacks onto the donkey's back. But the donkey didn't complain.
— Oh, eight sacks! But why don't I feel the burden? Ah, but what does it matter? Let the master put as many sacks as he wants on my back. I'm not going to the market anyway. Hee-haw!
The merchant quietly went with the donkey to the river.
— Ah, behold my magic!
As they crossed the river, the donkey again reached the same spot and sat down in the water. However, today the merchant did not help the donkey get up. As the donkey tried to rise, suddenly...
— Oh, no! My back! What's happening? Why is my back so heavy? Hee-haw!
The merchant was a clever man. He knew the donkey would try to trick him again. So this time, instead of loading salt onto the donkey's back, he loaded cotton. As soon as the donkey sat in the water, the cotton absorbed the water and became heavier.
— Aha! Did you think you could trick me? Now you will have to go to the market and back home with these eight sacks.
— Oh, no! Hee-haw! How heavy it is! My back!
The donkey realized that the water was not magic after all. He carried the eight sacks of cotton to the market and then back home.
The Moral of the Story
From that day on, the donkey never dared to sit in the water again.
