A trader had a donkey. He used to load items onto it to sell them in nearby villages.
They had to cross over a river-bridge to reach their destination.
One day, the donkey with a salt-load on was crossing the river. Suddenly, it fell down into the river.
The trader somehow brought it out. But the salt got dissolved in the water.
The trader was very sad and returned. But the donkey was happy with no load on it.
Back home, the relieved donkey was now thinking of some mischief.
Next day, the trader set out with the salt-loaded donkey taking the same route.
In the middle of the bridge the donkey fell into the river. All the salt got dissolved in the water.
The donkey was very happy with no load on. But the trader had seen it falling down intentionally.
The angry trader thought to teach the donkey a bitter lesson.
The trader had understood that the donkey was intentionally doing all that.
Suddenly, an idea struck his mind and smile appeared on his face.
Next day, the trader set out after loading cotton on the back of the donkey.
The donkey was happy with lighter load and thinking that it would again reduce it in the water.
Both the donkey and the trader were moving on thinking about their moves.
When they reached the bridge, the donkey stumbled in the middle and fell into the river.
The trader wanted to teach the donkey a bitter lesson, so he did not try to rescue it.
Due to the heavy load of the wet cotton the donkey was in great pain. And the trader was smiling.
After some time, the donkey itself tried to come out but the load was heavy.
When the trader saw it, he walked into the water and started thrashing the donkey.
Writhing with pain, the donkey came out. The trader was still thrashing it with the stick.
The donkey had to return home with the heavy load. It understood that its trick had come into the light.
The donkey had learnt a lesson and its habit of falling down into the river had vanished now.
Moral : Showing too much cleverness is troublesome.
