The prophet and his donkey

Some of the wise men and prophets in the distant past used to travel on the backs of donkeys as they found it easier than travelling by foot or by a cart. The wise man of our tale, as told to me by a storyteller, once wanted to buy a donkey to go to distant places. But it was not easy to find a good donkey who would take a wise man on his back. Donkeys are somewhat obstinate in their manners and they would succumb to circumstances unseen and topple down disrespecting the person on his back.

So this wise man was advised initially to select the best donkey from a reliable place in the donkey market in the town.

He went to the market with two of his good friends who used to take regular advice from him.

“We should buy you the best donkey, so we introduce you to the best donkey seller,” said the first man. Then the other said: “You can’t really find good donkeys these days. There is a great demand for them.”

“Whatever it is, I need a good donkey who would willingly obey me and should have patience to be with me, when I am advising people who come to see me.” said the wise man.

“That could be arranged. All you need is to get the best donkey in the market through our help.”

So the three of them went to the market to meet the donkey seller. The wise man was introduced to the donkey seller.

“This is the wisest man in the country. He is in need of a good donkey for his travels. We want you to give him the best donkey in your stall,” said the first man. The second man nodded his head in approval.

The wise man saw the number of donkeys and the types of donkeys brought from various places of the country. The two men walked to a side of the market and watched what was happening. The wise man went on examining.

“This donkey is really smart and wiser than the others,” said the donkey seller pointing his hand to a particular donkey in a stable. The wise man who touched the head of the donkey and felt that he is a tamed one who looked innocent.

“How are you my little donkey?” asked the wise man talking to the donkey. The donkey nodded his head as if saying: “I am all right! How are you?” “I will buy this donkey,” said the wise man. “It is comparatively costly as he is wiser than the others.” said the donkey seller. “Why do you say that?” Asked the wise man.

“He is tamed by wiser trainers and much more intelligent than the others because of his pedigree.”

“In that case I should buy the best one at any cost. It is not the money that matters. It is the calibre of the donkey that matters.” So the wise man asked for the price of the donkey. The two men approached once again and told the donkey seller to reduce the price. “All right, I will reduce the price,” said the donkey seller, and it was duly done. The donkey seller reduced the price of the donkey and the wise man agreed to pay the amount. So the donkey was taken away from the stall. The two men too joined the return journey for a short time. The wise man was walking in front of the donkey and the two men were walking behind. The wise man as usual was engrossed in a deep contemplative mood. He did not even notice that he had bought a donkey. So the journey was not tiring for him.

The wise man did not know that he was travelling with a donkey, he had bought from the market. All of sudden, it so happened that the wise man remembered that he had bought a donkey from the market, and he wanted to look back. What did he see? He saw a thin man with a rope around his neck walking slowly behind him.

“Who are you?” the wise man asked. “I am your donkey,” “But you are not a donkey. I see that you are otherwise.” “Yes master, when I came out of the market I was a donkey. It was for me that you paid that amount of money I was gradually transformed into a human being on my way walking behind you!” “How did that happen so soon?” “It is the wish of my parents.” “What type of wish was that?”

“Oh master, I was a stubborn child when I lived with my parents, then they drove me away saying you are a stubborn donkey, they said to get away. Believe me master, it so happened that I became an actual donkey. But then it is believed that if even a donkey is in the company of a wise person that donkey will be transformed gradually into a human being. This is what had happened to me believe me. Don’t think evil of me.”

“Yes I can understand what you say,” said the wise man and went with the human being to his place.

The wise man told his wife what had happened. She could not believe her ears. But he said that such things could happen and that the only thing possible for him is to get another donkey from the same donkey seller in the market. Following morning to his grave surprise the donkey who had become a human being too had gone. Such things happen in this world, thought the wise man and pacified his own mind. Then he walked alone to the same market in search of the donkey seller. “Oh master where is the donkey you bought from me?” asked the donkey seller. “He became a human being on the way. But later the human being had also vanished” “This is surprising.” said the donkey seller

“What bought you here master?” asked the donkey seller. “I want to buy another donkey” As he was saying this the wise man saw a donkey who looked the same as the one he bought the day before. The donkey was so tame that he could feel that this was the wise man who bought him. The wise man tried to talk to the donkey. The donkey looked the same and indicated that it is the very same donkey who had come once again to be bought by the very same wise man.

This time the wise man was cautious of helpers.