You Can Not Please Everyone

A man and his son were once going with their Donkey to market. As they were walking along by its side a countryman passed them and said : "You fool, what a Donkey for is but to ride upon?" 

On hearing thishe put the Boy on the Donkey and they went on their way. But soon they passed an other man, who said : "O lazy youngster! You let your father walk while you ride." 

So the Man ordered his Boy to get off and got on himself. But they had not gone far when they passed a woman. who said : "Shame on you lazy lout to let your poor little son trudge along." 

The Man was confused what to do. But at last he took his Boy up before him on the Donkey. By this time they had come to the town and the passers-by began to jeer and point at them. The Man stopped and asked what they were scoffing at. The men said : "Aren't you ashamed of yourself for overloading that poor Donkey of yours - you and your hulking son?" 

The man and Boy got off and thought what to do. They thought and they thought, till at last they cut down a pole, tied the Donkey's feet to it and raised the pole and the Donkey to their shoulders. They went along amid the laughter of all who met them till they came to Market Bridge when the Donkey, getting one of his feet loose, kicked out and caused the Boy to drop his end of the pole. In the struggle the Donkey fell over the bridge and his fore-feet being tied together, he was drowned. 

"That will teach you," said an old man who had followed them : You Can Not Please Everyone.