In ancient times, a man wanted to sell his donkey. He woke from his sleep early before sunrise, heading to the market near his town to sell his donkey. The man took his son with him to the market.
The Journey: The man left his home with his son. The man rode the donkey and his son walked beside him. As he passed a group of people walking on the road, one of the passersby said: It is amazing that the father rides the donkey and leaves his son walking beside him on this long road. Is there no mercy in this father’s heart for his weak son? It would have been better for the son to ride the donkey and the father to walk on this long road.
The father heard this speech and immediately got off the donkey. He allowed his son to ride the donkey and walked on his feet, and they continued on their way. When they passed two women from the passersby, one said to the other: It is very strange to see the son riding the donkey, leaving his weak father walking on his feet. Shouldn’t this son be ashamed of himself? It is necessary for the son to get off the donkey and walk on his feet, and leave his weak father to ride the donkey.
The father wondered and said: It seems difficult to please all people. He suggested to his son that both of them walk beside the donkey. Indeed, the father and son walked behind the donkey, completing their way to the market.
During their journey, they met one of the passersby walking on the road. One of them said in a loud voice: What a stupid father, even his son is stupid like him. How do they walk on their feet when they have a donkey that can easily carry both of them and save them the effort of walking and the hardship of the road. When the father and son heard this, the father rode the donkey again and his son rode behind him, completing their way to the market.
During their walking on the road again, they met a man who looked at them with anger and said in a loud voice: This father and this young man must be ashamed of themselves. What is this cruelty that fills their hearts? Is there no compassion in their hearts? A strong man and a sturdy young man should not ride on top of a weak donkey like that weak donkey. It is forbidden for them to ride together on the donkey without compassion. God will hold them to a severe account.
The father and son heard these words, so both of them got off the donkey, sat in the road, leaving the donkey grazing in the road. They were confused about their matter and began thinking of a way to please all people.
After thinking deeply, they decided to tie the donkey’s feet with a strong rope and carry it together on a strong piece of wood they brought from a tree on the road. Indeed, they executed that idea. They tied the donkey’s feet with a rope and carried it together to the market. They continued on their way. It was their fortune that they didn’t meet anyone else throughout the way until they reached the nearby town market where they wanted to sell the donkey.
Arrival at the Market: As soon as they entered the village market and people saw them, their appearance while carrying the donkey made everyone laugh. The people mocked them, even children walked behind them laughing and ridiculing them, saying: Look at these two men, they are carrying the donkey to the market instead of riding it to take them there. This is very strange. The man said to his son when he heard the people, their laughter, and their speech:
The Wisdom: My son, we tried to please all people, but it is difficult to please all people. In the future, we will do what pleases God alone and pleases ourselves, and we will not care again about what people think of us or say about us.