The Ass and the Lapdog

In a prosperous merchant’s estate on the outskirts of a bustling trading city, where grand gardens surrounded an elegant manor house, there lived two very different animals who served the same master but led completely different lives.

The first was a sturdy donkey named Burden, who had spent his entire life performing the essential but demanding work of carrying heavy loads, pulling carts, and transporting goods between the merchant’s various business locations. Burden was strong, reliable, and hardworking, and his master depended on him completely for the practical aspects of running a successful trading operation.

Every morning, Burden would be loaded with merchandise, supplies, or equipment, and he would spend his days traveling the dusty roads between markets, warehouses, and customer locations. His work was physically demanding and often tiring, but it was also vital to his master’s prosperity and success.

At the end of each long working day, Burden would return to the stable behind the main house, where he would be fed simple but nutritious food, given fresh water, and allowed to rest in a clean stall until the next day’s work began.

The second animal was a small, elegant lapdog named Precious, who lived a life of luxury and comfort that was completely different from Burden’s daily routine. Precious spent her days in the main house, sleeping on silk cushions, eating delicate treats from fine dishes, and receiving constant attention and affection from the merchant and his family.

Precious’s daily routine consisted of short walks in the garden, playing with expensive toys, being groomed with the finest brushes and combs, and sitting on her master’s lap while he conducted business meetings or relaxed in the evening.

The little dog was pampered and indulged in every way imaginable. She wore a collar decorated with precious stones, slept in a bed more luxurious than those of many humans, and was fed the choicest meats and delicacies that were specially prepared by the household cook.

For many years, Burden accepted the differences in their situations without complaint or resentment. He understood that he and Precious had different roles to play in the household, and he took pride in his important contributions to his master’s business success.

However, as time passed and Burden grew older, he began to feel increasingly tired from his daily labors and increasingly envious of Precious’s comfortable lifestyle. He started to watch the little dog more closely and to resent the disparity between their treatment.

“Why should that useless little creature live in such luxury while I work so hard every day?” Burden began to think to himself. “I’m the one who carries the heavy loads that make our master wealthy. I’m the one who travels dangerous roads in all kinds of weather. Yet she gets all the comfort and affection while I get nothing but work and a simple stall.”

The more Burden observed Precious’s pampered lifestyle, the more bitter and resentful he became. He noticed how the merchant would pet and praise the little dog, how visitors would admire and compliment her, and how she was treated like a treasured member of the family rather than a working animal.

“All Precious does is sit around looking pretty and acting cute,” Burden complained to himself. “Anyone could do that. If I behaved the way she does, I would certainly receive the same kind of treatment and rewards.”

One day, Burden decided that he had had enough of being treated as merely a beast of burden while Precious enjoyed a life of leisure and luxury. He resolved to change his situation by imitating the lapdog’s behavior and demonstrating that he could be just as charming and affectionate as she was.

That evening, when the merchant returned from a day of business meetings and settled into his favorite chair in the main room of the house, Burden put his plan into action.

Instead of going to the stable as he normally did, Burden walked directly into the main house through the open door. This itself was unusual and unexpected, as the donkey had never entered the family’s living quarters before.

The merchant looked up in surprise as the large donkey appeared in his elegant sitting room, but before he could react, Burden began implementing his plan to win the same kind of affection that Precious received.

Burden approached the merchant’s chair and attempted to climb onto his master’s lap in the same way that he had seen Precious do countless times. However, what worked perfectly for a small, lightweight lapdog created immediate problems when attempted by a large, heavy donkey.

The merchant’s chair groaned under the unexpected weight, and the merchant himself was nearly crushed as Burden settled himself across his lap with the same casual confidence that Precious always displayed.

“Get off! What are you doing?” the merchant gasped, struggling to breathe under the donkey’s considerable weight.

But Burden was not finished with his demonstration. He had observed that Precious often licked the merchant’s face affectionately, and that this behavior was always met with smiles and gentle words of approval.

Determined to show that he could be just as loving and appealing as the lapdog, Burden began licking the merchant’s face with his large, rough tongue, covering the man’s head and shoulders with slobber and making it impossible for him to see or speak clearly.

The merchant tried to push Burden away, but the donkey was too heavy and too determined to be easily moved. Burden continued his affectionate assault, convinced that if he could just demonstrate the same behaviors that made Precious so beloved, he would finally receive the recognition and comfort he deserved.

Next, Burden attempted to replicate the playful, energetic behavior that Precious often displayed when she was seeking attention. He began to prance and dance around the sitting room, knocking over delicate furniture, breaking expensive vases, and trampling the fine carpets with his large hooves.

The noise and destruction quickly attracted the attention of the entire household. Servants came running from the kitchen, family members rushed in from other rooms, and even Precious appeared to see what was causing such a commotion.

“Help!” the merchant called out from beneath the enthusiastic donkey. “Get this animal off me and out of my house!”

It took several strong servants working together to drag Burden away from his master and escort him forcibly from the house. The donkey was confused and hurt by this reaction, as he had expected to receive the same positive response that Precious always got for similar behavior.

As Burden was led back to the stable, he could hear the merchant giving angry instructions to the servants.

“Double the locks on the stable door,” the merchant ordered. “Make sure that donkey can never get into the house again. And reduce his food rations for a week as punishment for this outrageous behavior.”

Precious, meanwhile, was immediately scooped up by the merchant and held close as he checked to make sure she hadn’t been frightened or injured by Burden’s disruptive display.

“There, there, my precious little one,” the merchant said soothingly, stroking the lapdog’s soft fur. “That awful donkey won’t disturb you again. You’re safe now.”

As Burden was locked securely in his stall with reduced rations and no possibility of entering the house, he finally began to understand the fundamental flaw in his thinking.

An old mule in the neighboring stall, who had witnessed the entire incident, offered some wise perspective on what had happened.

“You foolish donkey,” the mule said sadly. “You tried to be something you’re not instead of appreciating what you are. Precious receives affection because she’s small, gentle, and designed to be a companion. You’re strong, capable, and designed to do important work. Both roles have value, but they’re completely different.”

Burden listened with growing understanding as the mule continued.

“The master loves Precious for being a good lapdog, and he values you for being a good working animal. When you tried to be a lapdog, you weren’t being a better version of yourself—you were being a terrible version of something you were never meant to be.”

The mule’s words helped Burden realize that his envy had blinded him to the real value and importance of his own role in the household.

“Your work is essential to the master’s success and prosperity,” the mule explained. “Without you, his business would suffer and his wealth would decline. Precious brings him comfort and companionship, but you bring him the means to maintain his lifestyle and support his family.”

From that day forward, Burden approached his work with a new appreciation for his own abilities and contributions. He stopped envying Precious’s lifestyle and started taking pride in his own important role.

The merchant, impressed by Burden’s renewed dedication and excellent work, eventually forgave the incident and even improved the donkey’s living conditions, recognizing how valuable his service truly was.

Burden learned that contentment comes not from trying to be someone else, but from understanding and appreciating your own unique purpose and abilities.

Moral: Trying to imitate others instead of appreciating your own role and abilities leads to trouble and embarrassment. True contentment comes from understanding and taking pride in your own unique purpose and contributions.