The Man Who Tried To Please Everybody

One fine morning a farmer went to town to sell his donkey. His son went with him. The farmer led the donkey, and his son walked beside him. They sang as they walked along.
The farmer and his son passed some girls on the road. The girls began to laugh at them.
‘What’s wrong with your donkey?’ asked the girls.
‘Nothing,’ replied the farmer. ‘I am going to sell him in town for a lot of money.’
‘You are silly to walk all the way,’ said the girls. ‘Let your little boy ride.’
The farmer wanted to please the girls. He lifted his son on to the donkey, and walked on beside them.
Farther along the road, the farmer and his son met an old man. The old man shook his stick at the boy. ‘What a selfish boy you are,’ he cried, ‘riding the donkey while your poor father walks.’
To please the old man, the farmer lifted down his son and got on to the donkey himself.
As they went on their way, the farmer and his son met some women and children. One of the women pointed to the farmer. ‘Look at that lazy man!’ she said. ‘He rides the donkey and makes his poor little boy walks!’
To please the woman, the farmer helped his son to get up behind him.
The farmer and his son rode along together on the donkey. They passed some men. ‘Is that your donkey?’ the men asked. ‘You will kill him if you make him carry a heavy man and a boy. Why don’t you carry the poor donkey?’
The Farmer wanted to please the man. He and his son got off the donkey. They tight his leg together and slung him on s pole. The poor donkey struggled and kicked.
The farmer and his son put the ends of the pole on their shoulders. They walked into the town carrying the donkey.
The people in the town laughed to see a man and a boy a struggling donkey. They Ran along beside the farmer and his son, laughing and shouting.
The poor donkey was frightened. The farmer and his son were tired and hot. They put down the donkey. The beast kicked himself free, and galloped away. He felt into the river and was drowned.
The farmer went home sadly.
‘I tried to please everybody,’ he said to his son. ‘But I have pleased nobody, and I have lost my donkey.’