The Merchant’s Donkey
Once upon a time, in a small village nestled between rolling hills and a flowing river, there lived a kind-hearted merchant named Ravi. He was known for his honesty and fairness in trade. Every day, he traveled to nearby towns to sell salt, sugar, and other goods.
Ravi owned a strong but aging donkey named Kalu. Kalu had been with Ravi for many years, faithfully carrying heavy loads on his back. Though he was old, he was still strong and capable. However, carrying sacks of salt every day was no easy task, and Kalu often felt exhausted.
One morning, Ravi packed his sacks of salt and set off toward the town as usual. The journey required crossing a river, where a narrow wooden bridge connected both sides. As they were walking across, Kalu accidentally slipped and fell into the water. The sacks of salt got soaked, and as the water dissolved the salt, the load became lighter. When Kalu got back on his feet, he felt relieved.
Feeling lighter than ever, Kalu was pleased with the accident. He happily trotted along, and for the first time in a long while, he didn’t feel burdened by the heavy load. Ravi, on the other hand, was worried. He had lost a significant amount of salt, which meant he would earn less money that day.
The next morning, Ravi loaded Kalu with fresh sacks of salt again, and they set off on their journey. When they reached the river, Kalu remembered what had happened the previous day. He deliberately stumbled and fell into the water. Just as before, the salt dissolved, and the weight on his back was reduced. Feeling light and happy, Kalu continued walking as if nothing had happened.
Ravi observed Kalu closely. He realized that the donkey had learned a trick to avoid carrying the heavy load. Though he loved Kalu dearly, he knew he had to teach him a lesson.
The following day, Ravi decided to outsmart Kalu. Instead of loading him with salt, he filled the sacks with cotton. As usual, they arrived at the river, and Kalu, thinking he could lighten his load again, intentionally fell into the water. But this time, something unexpected happened—the cotton absorbed the water and became much heavier!
Kalu struggled to get up. The wet cotton was far heavier than the salt had ever been. He could barely walk as he staggered under the weight. With great difficulty, he managed to reach the market, exhausted and miserable.
Ravi gently patted Kalu and said, “Dear Kalu, I love you, but tricking your way out of work is not the right path. Hard work is always better than dishonesty.”
From that day on, Kalu never tried to cheat again. He understood that taking shortcuts could sometimes lead to greater hardships. He continued to help Ravi with honesty, and in return, Ravi made sure to care for Kalu with love and kindness.
Moral of the Story: Taking shortcuts by avoiding responsibilities might seem like an easy way out, but in the end, honesty and hard work always lead to a better life.
Glossary:
- Merchant – A person who buys and sells goods for trade.
- Aging – Growing old or showing signs of age.
- Burdened – Feeling weighed down by something heavy.
- Sacks – Large bags used for carrying goods.
- Dissolve – To mix with a liquid and disappear.
- Deliberately – Done on purpose or intentionally.
- Outsmart – To trick or be more clever than someone.
- Absorbed – Taken in, especially by a material like cotton soaking up water.
- Miserable – Very unhappy or uncomfortable.
- Hardships – Difficulties or struggles in life.
