In a small village, there lived a washerman who earned his livelihood by washing clothes for the villagers. He owned a donkey that helped him carry loads of dirty clothes to the river and then bring them back after they were cleaned. The donkey was loyal but often grumbled about the heavy loads he had to carry.
One day, as the washerman and his donkey were returning from the river, they passed through a field of ripe cucumbers. The donkey, hungry and tired, looked longingly at the cucumbers and said to the washerman, "Master, I work hard every day carrying heavy loads. Could you please let me eat some of these fresh cucumbers? They would give me the strength I need to continue working."
The washerman thought for a moment and then said, "You can eat the cucumbers, but we must be careful. These fields belong to the farmer, and if he catches you eating his crops, he will be furious. So, eat quietly and don’t make any noise."
The donkey agreed, and the washerman untied him, allowing him to graze in the cucumber field. The donkey began eating the cucumbers, savoring each bite. But soon, he felt so happy and content that he wanted to sing. He thought to himself, "A song would make this meal even more enjoyable."
The washerman saw the donkey’s mouth opening and knew what was coming. He quickly warned, "Don’t sing, my friend! If you sing, the farmer will hear you, and we’ll both be in trouble."
But the donkey, lost in his happiness, ignored the washerman’s warning. "I must express my joy," the donkey said, and began to bray loudly.
As expected, the loud braying caught the attention of the farmer, who rushed to the field with a stick. The washerman quickly tied the donkey back to his load and tried to escape, but the farmer was fast. He caught up with them and, in his anger, gave the donkey a sound beating for eating his crops.
As they left the field, the washerman scolded the donkey, "You brought this upon yourself! I warned you not to make noise, but you didn’t listen. Now you’ve learned a hard lesson."
The donkey, nursing his wounds, realized the truth in the washerman’s words. He promised himself that he would never again let his emotions lead him into trouble.
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