The Donkey and the Salt Seller: A Lesson in Deception

Once upon a time, there was a salt seller who used to carry a heavy bag of salt on his donkey's back to the market every day. They had to cross a stream on their way, and one day, as they were crossing, the donkey suddenly tumbled down into the water, causing the salt bag to fall in as well. The salt dissolved in the water, making the bag much lighter to carry. Surprisingly, the donkey seemed happy about it. From that day on, the clever donkey started playing the same trick every day. It intentionally tumbled down into the stream, causing the salt bag to dissolve and become lighter. The donkey thought it had found a clever way to make its burden easier. However, the salt seller soon caught on to the donkey's trickery. He realized that the donkey was intentionally tumbling down to make the salt bag lighter. Determined to teach the donkey a lesson, the salt seller came up with a plan. The next day, instead of loading the donkey with a bag of salt, the salt seller loaded a cotton bag on its back. The donkey, unaware of the change, played the same trick again, hoping that the cotton bag would also become lighter in the water. But to its surprise, the dampened cotton bag became heavy and difficult to carry. The donkey suffered greatly under the weight of the wet cotton. This experience taught the donkey a valuable lesson. It realized that its deceptive actions had consequences. From that day on, the donkey stopped playing tricks and carrying the burden honestly. The salt seller was pleased with the donkey's change in behavior and they continued their journey to the market without any further issues. This story teaches us the importance of honesty and the consequences of deceit. It reminds us that shortcuts and dishonesty may provide temporary relief, but in the long run, they can lead to more difficulties and suffering. Just like the donkey, we should always strive to be honest and truthful in our actions.