The Donkey and The Horse
The Donkey requested food from the Horse, who refused and promised more later; the Donkey saw through the empty promises and remained content.
Once upon a time, on a quiet farm, there lived a Donkey and a Horse. They were neighbors and lived side by side. The Horse always had lots of yummy food like fresh hay and barley, while the Donkey mostly ate simple, plain food.
One day, the Donkey decided to ask the Horse for some tasty food. "Dear friend," said the Donkey kindly, "Can you share a little of your yummy food with me?"
The Horse, who thought he was better than the Donkey, said, "I will give you what's left of my food after I'm done eating. And if you come to my stall in the evening, I might give you a small bag of barley."
The Donkey was smart and knew that if the Horse wouldn’t share a little food now, he probably wouldn’t give more later.
"Thank you," replied the Donkey. "But I don't believe you will give me more later when you won't even share a tiny bit with me now."
From then on, the Donkey realized that promises from those who can't be kind in small ways are often empty. The Donkey kept to his simple meals and was happier, knowing he had the wisdom to see things as they truly were.
Audio available for B1 version
Once upon a time, on a quiet farm, there lived a Donkey and a Horse.
They were neighbors and lived side by side.
The Horse always had lots of yummy food like fresh hay and barley, while the Donkey mostly ate simple, plain food.
One day, the Donkey decided to ask the Horse for some tasty food.
"Dear friend," said the Donkey kindly, "Can you share a little of your yummy food with me?"
The Horse, who thought he was better than the Donkey, said, "I will give you what's left of my food after I'm done eating.
And if you come to my stall in the evening, I might give you a small bag of barley."
The Donkey was smart and knew that if the Horse wouldn’t share a little food now, he probably wouldn’t give more later.
"Thank you," replied the Donkey.
"But I don't believe you will give me more later when you won't even share a tiny bit with me now."
From then on, the Donkey realized that promises from those who can't be kind in small ways are often empty.
The Donkey kept to his simple meals and was happier, knowing he had the wisdom to see things as they truly were.
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Word Finder
Yummy
Tasty and good to eat, very enjoyable food.Neighbor
Someone who lives nearby, close to your home.Barley
A type of grain used for food and animal feed.Decided
Made up your mind to do something specific.Tasty
Delicious, having a good flavor that people like.Stall
A small, enclosed area where animals live or eat.Smart
Intelligent, able to understand and think quickly.Probably
Very likely to happen or be true, almost certain.Promises
A strong commitment to do something in the future.Wisdom
The ability to make good decisions based on experience.
Understanding Questions
- Where did the Donkey and the Horse live?
- What did the Donkey ask the Horse to share with him?
- How did the Horse respond when the Donkey asked for food?
- Why did the Donkey doubt that the Horse would give him food later?
- What did the Donkey decide after talking with the Horse?
Reflection Questions
- Why do you think the Horse refused to share his food with the Donkey?
- How did the Donkey feel when the Horse promised him food later?
- Can you recall a time when someone made a promise they didn't keep, just like the Horse did?
- What does this story teach us about promises and the importance of being kind in small ways?
- How can we apply the lesson from this story in our own lives to make sure we are honest and kind to others?
Fable Quotes
Trust is built on actions, not words; empty promises reveal the true character within.
True wisdom knows the emptiness of promises from those unwilling to share in small measures.
To understand the true intent of others, observe their small acts.
Just One More Fable
- Value
- Humility
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A spider named Anansi gathered all the wisdom in a large pot, but a child's simple suggestion shattered it, spreading wisdom everywhere.
- Caution
- Wisdom
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In a farm, a Heifer mocks an Ox's hard work but later realizes her idleness leads to sacrifice, while the Ox rests.
- Trust
- Caution
The Stag, The Wolf, and The Sheep
Hungry stag seeks wheat from cautious sheep, promising to return it with a sly wolf as guarantee, but wise sheep decline, aware of their mischievous nature.
- Gratitude
- Friendship
The King's White Elephant
Carpenters aid a wounded Elephant who then helps them; his son follows suit until the king claims the white Elephant and cares for it.