One day a man and his son headed to the market. They were leading their donkey along the road. They planned to sell him at the market.
On their way they passed some farmers. The farmers burst into laughter.
"They're not even riding their donkey!" one said. "That donkey must be useless!"
"Yes," another said. "How will they ever sell him at the market?"
The father flushed. "Son, please ride our donkey. Then no one will laugh at our donkey or us."
The son obeyed and climbed up on the donkey's back.
Soon they passed an old woman sitting on a bench.
"How rude!" she said loudly. "That boy makes his father walk while he rides on their donkey."
The man felt ashamed again. "Son, get off the donkey. I'll ride him now."
The man and boy continued on their way. Before long they passed some girls.
"Look at that terrible father!" one whispered. "He's making his son walk!"
"That boy looks so tired," another girl said. "He should be riding on the donkey!"
The man groaned. "Son, how about this? We'll both ride on the donkey."
Soon they saw a couple.
"That poor donkey!" the wife said.
"Yes!" The husband scowled. "How cruel! Who makes a donkey carry two people at once?"
The father and son climbed off their donkey.
With a sigh, the man looked at their donkey. "He does look tired."
"What should we do?" the son asked.
The father thought. "Let's put the donkey on our shoulders. We'll carry him to the market."
They carefully tied the donkey's legs together.
"This will make it easier to carry him," the father said.
Then they lifted him onto their shoulders. As they crossed a bridge, loud laughter rang out.
"Ha-ha! They're carrying a donkey!" someone yelled.
"What a silly sight!" another person cried.
The people laughed so loudly, the poor donkey got startled. He kicked his legs hard and slipped off his owners' shoulders. With a terrible splash, he fell into the river—and drowned.
The boy burst into sobs. "Oh no! Our donkey!"
The father put his arm around the boy.
"My son, remember this always," he said softly. "When you try to please everybody, you end up pleasing nobody."