The Tale of the Bull and the Ass
A talking merchant, a clever donkey, and a lesson in listening
Page 1
Once upon a time, in a far-off land, there lived a kind and wealthy merchant. He owned a large farm with many fertile fields, a comfortable farmhouse, and a bustling courtyard where all his animals lived and worked diligently. The merchant possessed a very special secret: he understood the language of all animals, a gift he had been born with. He could hear the lowing of his cattle, the braying of his donkeys, and the crowing of his roosters, and know exactly what they were saying. He kept this extraordinary gift hidden from everyone, even his own family, for fear of what others might think or how they might react. Every morning, he would walk about his farm, observing his creatures, listening closely to their thoughts and worries, and managing his business with quiet wisdom.
Page 2
One bright and sunny morning, the merchant walked out from his farmhouse to his large, open fields. He watched his strong bull, Bully, yoked to a heavy wooden plough, pulling it slowly but steadily across the dark, rich earth. The young servant walked purposefully beside the bull, guiding him with practiced hands. Nearby, his faithful ass, Ammar, stood resting beneath the shade of a small olive tree, watching his friend work under the hot sun. As the merchant drew closer, he heard Bully sigh deeply, a sound of profound weariness. "Oh, Ammar," Bully groaned, his voice heavy with complaint and exhaustion. "My back aches terribly, and my neck is so sore from this harness. Every single day, it's the same endless work, from the first light of dawn until the last rays of dusk. I wish I didn't have to pull this heavy plough anymore! My life is nothing but constant toil and aching muscles."
Page 3
That evening, after their long and tiring day's work, Bully and Ammar were settled comfortably in their separate stalls in the warm, quiet stable. Ammar, remembering Bully’s constant complaints from the field about his aching back and sore neck, felt a pang of sympathy for his hardworking friend. He leaned over the wooden partition between their stalls, his long ears twitching as he spoke softly. "My dear friend Bully," Ammar whispered kindly, his voice gentle, "I have heard your troubles. You work so incredibly hard, day after day, without rest. Perhaps there is a clever way to ease your burden, just for a little while, to give you some relief." Bully slowly lifted his heavy head, his eyes full of weariness but now also a flicker of hope. "Tell me, Ammar, what is it?" Ammar drew closer, lowering his voice conspiratorially. "Tomorrow morning," he advised, "when the servant comes to prepare you for work, pretend to be gravely sick. Do not touch your fodder, and lie down as if you are too weak to even stand. He will surely leave you to rest in peace."
Page 4
The very next morning, Bully followed Ammar's clever advice precisely. When the servant came to prepare him for the day's work, Bully lay perfectly still on his straw bed, refusing his fresh fodder and groaning softly, as if in great pain. The servant, seeing the bull's convincing apparent illness, quickly reported it to the merchant. The kind merchant, who knew the truth of the animals' conversation, smiled to himself, but pretended to be deeply worried. "Poor Bully," he said with feigned concern, "he must be gravely ill. We cannot possibly force a sick animal to work in such a state." He then instructed the servant clearly, "Take Ammar the ass to the field today. He is strong and can certainly pull the plough in Bully's place." And so, the patient grey ass, who had only meant to help his friend, found himself unexpectedly yoked to the heavy plough, pulling it across the field, feeling quite surprised and much more tired than he had ever been before.
Page 5
After a long, utterly exhausting day of ploughing under the hot sun, Ammar the ass was brought back to the merchant's bustling yard to rest. He was tied securely to a sturdy post near an open, arched window of the farmhouse, grateful for a moment of stillness and quiet after his unexpected labor. Inside the farmhouse, the merchant was speaking in hushed tones to his servant. Ammar’s long ears perked up instantly as he heard their voices clearly, carrying through the open window. "Bully still seems unwell, doesn't he?" the merchant said gravely, his voice full of concern. "If he doesn't recover his strength and willingness to work soon, I fear he will have to be sent away to another farm. It would be a great shame, as he would surely miss his friends, and you, Ammar, would have to do all the heavy field work by yourself permanently." Ammar’s heart sank at these words. He had certainly not meant to cause such serious trouble for his friend or himself!
Page 6
As soon as he could, Ammar hurried back to the stable, his heart pounding with worry. He found Bully still lounging comfortably in his stall, looking quite pleased and relaxed after his unexpected day off. Ammar quickly nudged him with his nose, his eyes wide and bright with genuine alarm. "Bully!" he brayed urgently, his voice low and trembling with concern. "You simply must listen to me! I just overheard the merchant speaking to the servant, and what I heard was dire! They said that if you do not get well and return to your work soon, they will send you away to another farm! You will lose your comfortable home here, and your friends, and I will be left to do all the heavy work by myself, forever! You must recover your strength and be ready to pull the plough tomorrow, without fail!"
Page 7
The very next morning, when the servant came to the stable to prepare the animals for work, he was utterly astonished by what he saw. Bully, the strong brown bull, was standing tall and alert, eating his fodder with great gusto! He looked entirely recovered and full of energy, eager to get back to his duties. The servant, feeling a great sense of relief and surprise, quickly harnessed him to the heavy plough. Out in the field, Bully worked with a truly remarkable, renewed energy, pulling the plough vigorously and steadily across the rows, determined to show he was strong and willing to keep his home. The kind merchant stood at the edge of the field, observing the bull work with a knowing gaze. A broad, hearty smile spread across his face, and he let out a full, joyful laugh, knowing exactly what clever trick had caused Bully's sudden and complete recovery. He was pleased that his subtle plan had worked so perfectly.
Page 8
Later that day, as the sun began to dip towards the horizon, the merchant sat in his comfortable living room with his wife. He was still chuckling softly to himself about the clever events involving the bull and the ass, finding great amusement in the day's happenings. His wife, a dignified woman with a keen eye and a sharp mind, noticed his unusual and persistent amusement. "My dear husband," she asked, her voice calm but firm, her brow slightly furrowed with curiosity, "what is it that makes you laugh so heartily? You seem to find great joy in something you cannot share with me, and your amusement is quite pronounced today." The merchant, remembering the strict vow he had made to keep his secret, tried to hide his smile, though it was difficult. "It is nothing of consequence, my dear," he replied evasively, "just a small, amusing matter of the farm that would not interest you." But his wife was not easily satisfied. She insisted, wanting to know the cause of his secret laughter, which troubled the merchant deeply, as he knew he could not tell her his special gift without risking great misfortune.
Page 9
Troubled and perplexed by his wife's persistent insistence on knowing his secret, the merchant decided to seek advice from the wisest creature on his entire farm. He left the farmhouse and walked purposefully out into the bright, sunny courtyard, where his magnificent, proud rooster, Cock-a-Doodle-Doo, strutted regally amongst his flock of hens. The merchant knelt down respectfully on the packed earth, looking intently at the colorful, confident bird. "My wise Cock-a-Doodle-Doo," he began, his voice low with worry, "I have a secret gift: I understand the speech of all animals, and this I must never reveal. My wife demands to know why I laughed today, and if I tell her my secret, I fear it will bring great misfortune upon us all. What, in your wisdom, should I do to resolve this predicament?" The rooster puffed out his chest importantly and crowed loudly, then spoke to the merchant with great authority, advising him to be very firm with his wife, and to show her his unwavering resolve with a clever story, so she would truly understand and respect his wishes, without needing to know the secret itself.
Page 10
That evening, as the sun painted the sky with hues of orange and purple, the merchant returned to his wife in their comfortable home. He sat with her and, with a firm but gentle voice, he told her a clever story, just as the wise rooster had so wisely advised. He spoke of the importance of certain secrets, and of how sometimes, knowledge can be a heavy burden as much as a precious gift. He carefully explained that some things are best kept private for the well-being and harmony of all, and that a husband and wife, though sharing everything, must also respect each other's hidden boundaries and trusts. His wife listened thoughtfully, her expression soft and contemplative. Seeing his unwavering resolve and understanding the profound wisdom in his words, she finally understood. She smiled kindly and promised never to ask about his secret laughter again. From that day forward, the merchant and his wife lived in peace and mutual understanding, and the farm animals, too, found their natural rhythm of work and rest, living happily ever after under the merchant's watchful eye.
About this story
- Audience: kids (ages 6–12)
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