The Miller, His Son, and Their Ass

英语自学网

The Miller, His Son, and Their Ass
        A MILLER and his son were driving their Ass to a neighboring fair
        to sell him.  They had not gone far when they met with a troop of
        women collected round a well, talking and laughing.  "Look
        there," cried one of them, "did you ever see such fellows, to be
        trudging along the road on foot when they might ride?'  The old
        man hearing this, quickly made his son mount the Ass, and
        continued to walk along merrily by his side.  Presently they came
        up to a group of old men in earnest debate.  "There," said one of
        them, "it proves what I was a-saying.  What respect is shown to
        old age in these days? Do you see that idle lad riding while his
        old father has to walk? Get down, you young scapegrace, and let
        the old man rest his weary limbs."  Upon this the old man made his
        son dismount, and got up himself.  In this manner they had not
        proceeded far when they met a company of women and children:
        "Why, you lazy old fellow," cried several tongues at once, "how
        can you ride upon the beast, while that poor little lad there can
        hardly keep pace by the side of you?'  The good-natured Miller
        immediately took up his son behind him.  They had now almost
        reached the town.    "Pray, honest friend," said a citizen, "is
        that Ass your own?'  "Yes," replied the old man.  "O, one would
        not have thought so," said the other, "by the way you load him.
        Why, you two fellows are better able to carry the poor beast than
        he you."  "Anything to please you," said the old man; "we can but
        try."  So, alighting with his son, they tied the legs of the Ass
        together and with the help of a pole endeavored to carry him on
        their shoulders over a bridge near the entrance to the town.
        This entertaining sight brought the people in crowds to laugh at
        it, till the Ass, not liking the noise nor the strange handling
        that he was subject to, broke the cords that bound him and,
        tumbling off the pole, fell into the river.  Upon this, the old
        man, vexed and ashamed, made the best of his way home again,
        convinced that by endeavoring to please everybody he had pleased
        nobody, and lost his Ass in the bargain.