The Music-Loving Donkey

A jackal and a donkey were close friends. One night, the two of them found an opportunity to sneak into a farmer's field, which was filled with fresh, juicy vegetables. Both friends entered the field together, eager to eat their fill.

The donkey ate heartily, enjoying the fresh vegetables until his stomach was completely full. Feeling deeply content and joyful, he suddenly felt an overwhelming urge to sing. He turned to the jackal and said, "Friend, I'm so happy right now, I simply must sing out loud!"

The jackal was alarmed and tried to reason with him. "Friend, we've snuck into this field without permission. If you bray loudly, the farmer will surely wake up and catch us both. Please, stay quiet, and let's slip away peacefully."

But the donkey was stubborn. "No," he insisted, "I must sing. Music is the calling of my very soul, and I cannot suppress it." No matter how much the jackal pleaded, the donkey refused to budge from his decision.

Realizing the donkey wouldn't be reasoned with, the jackal thought, "If he insists on doing this, I must look out for myself." He said, "Fine, sing if you must — but I'll go wait by the outer wall of the field, so that if the farmer comes, I can escape quickly." With that, he quietly slipped away.

The donkey threw back his head and began braying at the top of his lungs — "Hee-haw! Hee-haw!" The loud noise woke the farmer instantly, and he rushed out to the field carrying a stick. He caught the donkey red-handed and beat him severely.

The poor donkey suffered badly because of his stubborn insistence on singing, while the clever jackal had already escaped to safety long before.

Moral: Failing to control one's impulses, without considering the right time and place, can lead to serious trouble. Self-restraint is essential in every situation.