One day a merchant was walking home from the market. He had loaded big bags of salt on his donkey's back.
"Oh my. This salt is so heavy," the donkey thought. "It will be a long, hard trip home."
Soon they came to a stream. As they entered the water, the donkey slipped. Splash! He fell into the stream.
When the donkey stood, his load felt much lighter.
"That's odd," he thought.
"Oh no, my salt!" the merchant cried. "All my salt is gone!" He sighed. "What an unlucky day."
Meanwhile the tired donkey was delighted.
"What a lucky day!" he thought, laughing aloud. "Hee-haw! Hee-haw!"
Soon they went to the market for salt again. On the way home, they had to cross the stream again.
"I know what to do!" the donkey thought. This time he fell into the water on purpose. Splash!
"That's better!" the donkey thought as he stood. "My load is so much lighter now!"
He laughed aloud. "Hee-haw! Hee-haw!"
By now the merchant was growing suspicious of his donkey.
The next time they went to market, he bought bags of sponges. He loaded them onto the donkey, and they headed home.
"This is not a very heavy load," the donkey thought. "But I know a way to make it even lighter!"
While they crossed the stream, the donkey fell into the water. Splash!
"I'm so clever!" the donkey thought.
The merchant frowned. "Stand up, donkey!"
But when the donkey tried to stand, he could barely move.
"What happened?" he thought. "My load grew so heavy!"
"Now the sponges are full of water," the merchant said. "That will teach you a lesson. Let's go."
Finally the donkey managed to stand.
"I was foolish," he thought as they started walking again. "Now my load is much heavier. I must remember not to play tricks. I don't like it when others play tricks on me!"