8/22/2019 A Foolish Miller and His Donkey

1/3

A FOOLISH MILLER AND HIS DONKEY

A warm hello to the honourable judges, respective

teachers and my fellow friends. Today, I would like to share

with you a story entitled A Foolish Miller and His Donkey.In a certain village, there lived a poor miller and his

son. One year, a dry spell struck the area and ruined all the

wheat in the fields. Finally, no one had wheat to mill and the

poor miller and his son were no longer able to make a living.

Papa, there is not even a loaf of bread left, said the

son.

Thats a problem. What shall we do? Oh, I have a goodidea. Lets sell our donkey! The miller exclaimed. Its of no

use to us now.

Thus the miller and his son decided to go to town to sell

the donkey. It was a scorchingly hot summer day. They

started out beside their donkey, wiping their brows as they

walked.

They came upon some women washing clothes on thebank of a stream. Look at that! How foolish of them to walk

with a donkey on such hot day, they laughed.

Hearing this, the miller angrily asked, Whats wrong

with leading a donkey? One of the women replied, I would

think that a smart man would have his son ride. Dont you

agree?

Thinking that what she said was reasonable, the millerpromptly had his son ride the donkey.

A little further on, an old woman with a cane came

tottering by. She suddenly swung her cane and hit the son

on his head, saying, What a selfish lad you are! What a

8/22/2019 A Foolish Miller and His Donkey

2/3

shame that a young man like you rides the donkey while

your poor father has to walk on such hot day!

The startled son agreed with her remarks. He

dismounted and allowed his father to ride while he walkedand lead the donkey.

As they continued on again, they passed a traveler who

laughed at them. How foolish they are! They ought to both

ride on such a hot day! The miller and his son thought that

it was a great suggestion, and so both of them rode the poor

donkey, which struggled along painfully with his heavy load.

Further down the road, they approached a farmer

plowing his field. Upon seeing them, he uttered, How stupid

they are! Carrying two persons is surely too strenuous for

such a scrawny donkey.

The miller answered angrily, This donkey is to be sold

at the market anyway.

Then all the more so, remarked the farmer. For no

one will buy an exhausted donkey.

The miller and his son realizing that what he said was

so, dismounted the donkey, saying, Weve been foolish and

cruel to you. We will now carry you on our shoulders.

The two tied the donkeys legs together, then inserted a

pole between the legs and hoisted the donkey onto their

shoulders. The donkey was in such discomfort that it began

to struggle. The father and son released their hold in

surprise, and the donkey fell into river with a great splash.

My dear friends. What do you think is the moral value in

this story? Yes. We must not always follow the suggestions

of others without thinking it ourselves for it will lead to

failure.

8/22/2019 A Foolish Miller and His Donkey

3/3

Thank you.