Once upon a time, in a small village, there lived a miller and his son. They were very poor and decided to sell their donkey at the market. The donkey, feeling refreshed after a good night’s sleep, was ready for the journey.
As they set off, the miller and his son walked behind the donkey, not wanting her to appear tired. Along the way, they encountered two travelers who laughed at them for walking instead of riding the donkey. Taking their words to heart, the miller asked his son to ride the donkey while he walked.
Further down the road, they met an old man and woman who scolded the son for riding the donkey while his elderly father walked. The son dismounted, insisting his father ride instead.
As they neared the town, some children playing in a field pointed out that only the father was riding. Heeding their suggestion, the miller allowed his son to join him on the donkey’s back.
Upon reaching the town, the villagers criticized them for overburdening the poor donkey. Ashamed, the miller and his son decided to carry the donkey instead. They tied her feet to a pole and lifted her between them. This sight caused everyone to laugh, and the embarrassed donkey kicked, broke free, and ran off.
The miller and his son searched for the donkey but never found her. They returned home with no money, no donkey, and feeling very foolish.
The lesson of this story is that trying to please everyone can lead to pleasing no one at all. The miller and his son’s attempts to satisfy every critic they met only resulted in losing what was important to them.
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