The Tale of the Ox and the Donkey
Dramatis Personae:
VIZIER (Narrator)
SHAHRAZAD
PLOWMAN
DONKEY
OX
MERCHANT
[Setting: The VIZIER sits on a chair. SHAHRAZAD sits on a cushion beneath him. The VIZIER shakes his head sadly. SHAHRAZAD listens intently as her father begins the story.]
VIZIER. There once was a prosperous merchant who lived happily in the countryside. He was a hard working man, and did much of the labor himself. This merchant was gifted in other ways as well. For he could understand the language of the animals. This was both a blessing and a curse. He got to hear a lot of funny stories and observe a lot of animal follies. On the down side, he had to listen to a lot of griping. The other down side was that he wasn’t allowed to tell anyone what the animals said.
SHAHRAZAD (looking up with interest). Why not, Daddy? What good would it be if you couldn’t share that knowledge with others?
VIZIER. (pausing thoughtfully). Indeed, my dear. You see, to tell others was to meet his own death. Let me go on with this story and, if you listen carefully, it will soon become clear to you. One day, the merchant overheard the ox say to the donkey:
OX: Watchful one, I hope that you are enjoying your life. The plowman takes better care of you than he does of me. He sweeps your ground, and gives you plenty of food and water. Your food is better than the cast-offs they give me. Beans, beans, beans. They give me terrible gas, as you well know. Also, they are always working me way too hard. They get me up in the middle of the night, put these harnesses on me, and make me pull heavy loads. Even though I am straining with all my might, the plowman still lashes me with his whip. Meanwhile, you get to lie around all day, that is, except when our master decides to take you out for a small errand. Ah, to be a donkey, that is the life.
DONKEY: Greenhorn, you seem like a nice enough guy, but you really don’t know what you are talking about. You bring all this on yourself. We can train our masters, as I have learned. All you do is enable them to continue treating you harshly. You get back from a hard day’s labors, then start kicking and bellowing until they bring you food. Then you shut up and eat. Who could tell that you didn’t like beans? Next time, pretend as though you are not hungry. Don’t even smell the food. Just go lie down. Make sure you look real sad.
VIZIER. The ox took heed.
OX. Thank you, O watchful one, and may God shower you with blessings for this most sage advice.
VIZIER. The next day, the plowman came to take out the ox. The ox acted sick. He kept falling down, even as the plowman kept hitting him as punishment. That night, the plowman took the ox back to the barn. The ox did not eat. Alarmed, the plowman went to his master.
PLOWMAN. There’s something wrong with that ox. Not only did he not do his work, even with the many lashes I applied, he also went to his paddock and lay down instead of kicking and screaming for food. Not only that, but when I gave him the food, he just lowered his eyes. I might have even seen a tear! What should I do?
SHAHRAZAD. But the Merchant knows what’s going on so he can deal with it, right?
VIZIER. Remember, my beloved, that he is not allowed to reveal what he knows of the animal world. He must find a way around it. The merchant just acts like he knows a little animal psychology.
MERCHANT. Let the donkey do the ox’s job. Drive him as hard as you can. Beat him as often as you have to. That will teach that wily old donkey a thing or two.
VIZIER. This the plowman does. The donkey returns so tired that he can barely move. His back and neck are covered with scratches and every muscle aches. It is all he can do to look with great resentment at the ox, who is lying around as though he is in some kind of spa. The ox is grateful for this and he thanks both donkey and Allah. The donkey, however, only glares at the ox in resentment. The donkey, you see, realizes that it is his own fault. He had totally misjudged the outcome. Still, it is not too late to make amends. He prays to God for wisdom.
DONKEY. If I don’t do something, I will die! Allah be praised. Even a wise one like me can make a mistake and learn from it. Let me do as You will, not as I will.
VIZIER. This lesson is for you, my beloved Shahrazad. You offer yourself to King Shahrayar, even though you know what will happen. You are too young. You think you can handle this, but you cannot. I insist that you learn from the story of the Donkey and the Ox. If not, you must learn from what happened to the merchant’s wife.
SHAHRAZAD. Father, what eventually happened to the merchant and his wife?
THE END
