The Lazy Donkey

The Lazy Donkey

Once upon a time, in a small village, there lived a farmer named Ramu. He had a donkey named Motu, who was strong and healthy but extremely lazy. Motu hated doing any work and always looked for ways to avoid his duties.

Every morning, Ramu would load sacks of grain or vegetables on Motu’s back and take him to the market to sell. But Motu would groan and complain the whole way, moving as slowly as possible.

One day, Ramu scolded him, "Motu, if you keep being so lazy, one day you will regret it!"

But Motu didn’t listen. Instead, he thought of a plan to escape work.

The Clever Trick

The next morning, as Ramu loaded heavy sacks onto Motu’s back, the donkey pretended to stumble and collapsed on the ground, groaning loudly.

"Oh no! My leg is hurt! I can’t walk!" Motu cried, though he was perfectly fine.

Ramu, worried, checked Motu’s legs but found no injury. Still, he decided to let Motu rest for the day. He unloaded the sacks and left the donkey in the stable.

Motu grinned to himself. "This is perfect! Now I don’t have to work!"

For the next few days, whenever Ramu tried to take him to the market, Motu would fake an injury. Ramu soon realized that Motu was pretending, but he didn’t say anything.

The Farmer’s Decision

One evening, Ramu spoke to his wife. "Motu has become too lazy. He refuses to work, but I can’t afford to keep feeding him if he doesn’t help."

His wife nodded. "Then we must find a new donkey."

The next day, Ramu bought a new donkey—a young, hardworking one named Chotu. Chotu was eager to work and carried heavy loads without complaining.

Seeing this, Motu was delighted. "Now I don’t have to do anything! Chotu will do all the work!"

Days passed, and Motu enjoyed his lazy life, eating and sleeping while Chotu worked hard.

The Terrible Mistake

One morning, a group of merchants visited Ramu’s farm. They needed strong donkeys to carry goods to a distant town.

Ramu agreed to lend them his donkeys. He chose Chotu and another strong donkey but hesitated when he saw Motu.

"This donkey is lazy and useless," one merchant said.

Ramu sighed. "Yes, but if he doesn’t work, he’s just a burden. Take him too."

The merchants loaded heavy bundles onto the donkeys. Motu, who had not worked in weeks, struggled under the weight. The journey was long and tiring, and Motu, weak from laziness, could barely walk.

Halfway through the trip, Motu collapsed, exhausted. The merchants kicked him, trying to make him move, but Motu couldn’t.

"This donkey is worthless!" one merchant shouted. "Leave him here."

And so, they abandoned Motu in the middle of the forest.

The Harsh Reality

Alone and scared, Motu realized his mistake. He had been lazy for so long that he had become weak and useless. Now, no one wanted him.

Hungry and tired, he wandered through the forest, searching for food. He thought about how foolish he had been. If only he had worked hard like Chotu, he would still be safe at home.

Days passed, and Motu grew weaker. Just when he thought he would die, he heard a familiar voice.

"Motu? Is that you?"

It was Ramu! The farmer had come to the forest to collect firewood and found his lost donkey.

Motu, filled with shame, lowered his head. "I’m sorry, Ramu. I was lazy, and now I’ve suffered for it."

Ramu patted his back. "Everyone makes mistakes, Motu. But laziness only leads to trouble. Will you work hard from now on?"

Motu nodded eagerly. "Yes! I promise!"

A New Beginning

Ramu took Motu back home. From that day on, Motu worked diligently, never complaining. He became strong again and earned Ramu’s trust.

The other animals on the farm respected him, and even Chotu became his friend. Motu learned that hard work brings rewards, while laziness only leads to suffering.

Moral of the Story

Laziness may seem easy at first, but it always leads to trouble. Hard work and dedication bring respect and success.

The End.