The donkey’s forecast a historical decision

---

The Donkey’s Forecast: A Historical Decision

(An allegorical tale about wisdom, power, and political satire)

Once upon a time, a king appointed a man as the Minister of Meteorology based solely on the recommendation of his brother-in-law. This man had no knowledge or expertise in weather patterns or climate prediction, but the king, blinded by favoritism, gave him the position anyway.

One day, the king decided to go hunting. Before setting out, he called upon his Meteorology Minister and inquired about the weather.

The minister, with full confidence, replied,

“Your Majesty, the weather is absolutely clear and will remain pleasant for several days. There’s not even the slightest chance of rain.”

Satisfied with the forecast, the king left for his hunting expedition, taking his grand army and entourage with him.

On the way, the king happened to cross paths with a potter, a simple man leading a donkey laden with clay pots. The potter looked up at the sky and then at the king and said,

“May your majesty’s glory continue to rise, but may I ask—why are you traveling in such weather?”

The king, surprised, replied,

“I’m off to hunt. Why do you ask?”

The potter said earnestly,

“Your Majesty, I don’t mean to interfere, but it seems the weather is about to turn bad. It’s likely to rain very soon.”

The king was taken aback.

“You’re a mere potter, a man who bakes pots in a kiln and loads them onto a donkey for sale in the market. What do you know about the weather? My Minister has already informed me that the weather will remain beautiful and dry. Yet you stand here and contradict him?”

He turned to his guards and shouted,

“Soldier! This man dares to challenge royal authority and spread nonsense. Give him two lashes right now!”

The guards obeyed immediately, and the poor potter was punished on the spot.

The king then proudly proceeded toward the forest. However, he had barely spent a little time there when dark clouds began to gather rapidly. Soon, thunder roared across the skies, lightning flashed, and torrential rain began to pour down.

The forest turned into a swamp. Mud, water, and puddles flooded the area. The royal entourage was soaked, the hunting trip ruined, and everyone was in distress. There was no chance of hunting in that weather. With great difficulty, the king and his party turned back and returned to the palace, thoroughly drenched and humiliated.

Upon returning, the king made two major decisions:

1. He immediately dismissed the Minister of Meteorology for his false prediction and incompetence.

2. He summoned the potter to the court, rewarded him generously, and offered him the position of Meteorology Minister.

The potter came before the king humbly, hands folded, and said,

“Your Majesty, I am just an uneducated and ignorant man. I know nothing of science or governance. All I can do is mold clay into pots, bake them in the kiln, and sell them in the market. I know absolutely nothing about weather predictions.”

The king, puzzled, asked,

“Then how did you know it was going to rain?”

The potter replied,

“It’s not me, Your Majesty. It’s my donkey. Whenever my donkey droops his ears and lets them hang down, it always rains shortly after. That’s how I knew the weather was about to change. It’s been like this for years, and the donkey’s prediction has never been wrong.”

The king listened attentively and then made a historic declaration:

“If the donkey is so accurate, then he is far more competent than the so-called experts I have employed so far. From this day forward, your donkey shall be the Royal Minister of Meteorology.”

---

According to historians, this was the beginning of the tradition of appointing donkeys as ministers, a practice which, in one form or another, continues even today in some places.

---

Moral & Satirical Message:

This humorous and symbolic story contains deep insights:

Nepotism and favoritism often lead to incompetence in important positions.

Common sense and experience, even in humble forms, can sometimes be more reliable than so-called expert opinion.

People who speak the truth or challenge the system are often punished before they are acknowledged.

Symbolically, the story highlights how unqualified people ("donkeys") are placed in leadership roles, a phenomenon not unfamiliar in politics and bureaucracy even today.

---

Final Thought:

Though wrapped in satire and humor, this tale cleverly mirrors the political and social systems in many societies, where decisions are made not on the basis of merit, but on connections and appearances—often resulting in embarrassment and failure.

This story isn’t just a joke; it’s a reflection of reality disguised in laughter.

---