A man packed his donkey and his dog for a long journey through the mountains.
He loaded the donkey with as much gear as it could safely carry. To keep the animal from getting too tired, he walked beside it and gently led it up the trail.
The man, the donkey, and his loyal dog traveled quietly for hours.
Eventually, the man became exhausted.
He decided it was time to ride the donkey for a while.
Just as he started to climb onto its back, the donkey suddenly shouted,
“STOP! I’m tired of carrying your loads! I’m not your pack animal forever! Leave me alone!”
The man froze in shock.
He had never heard an animal talk before.
Terrified, he turned around and ran down the mountain as fast as he could, with the dog racing after him.
When he finally reached the bottom, he stopped to catch his breath.
Still trembling, he said,
“I can’t believe it… I’ve never heard a donkey talk before.”
The dog looked at him and replied,
“Neither have I.”