The Horse and the Ass

A horse and an ass were traveling together, the one helping the other bear a heavy load. The horse, prancing along with a light step, was decorated with a fine saddle and silver bells that chimed with every movement. He felt quite superior to his companion, the humble donkey, who struggled under the weight of several heavy sacks, his head bowed low and his pace slow and steady.

"Get on with you!" the horse neighed haughtily, nudging the ass with his velvet nose. "Why are you dragging your feet like a common beast? I am carrying barely a fraction of what you bear, and yet I move like the wind. You look as though you might collapse at any moment."

The ass, gasping for breath, looked up with tired eyes. "Dear friend," he wheezed, "I am carrying all of this weight for our master alone. If you would only take a small portion of this burden upon your back, I might find the strength to reach the destination. As it stands, I fear I shall fall before the sun sets."

But the horse only tossed his mane, snorting in derision. "That is your business, not mine," he replied coldly, continuing to trot ahead. "I was made for speed and beauty, not for heavy labor. It would be beneath my station to carry such common goods."

Not long after, the poor ass stumbled. He tried to regain his footing, but his strength had completely vanished. With a soft groan, he collapsed onto the dusty road, unable to take another step. He breathed his last, ending his life right there in the heat of the day.

Seeing this, the master quickly gathered all the heavy sacks from the fallen donkey and piled them onto the horse’s back. He also took the hide of the dead ass and placed it atop the load. The horse, once so proud and light-footed, now groaned under the immense weight that bowed his head and made every step a misery. He could not help but weep for his late companion, realizing too late that had he shared the burden earlier, he would have been spared this heavy fate.