The donkey and the ox

No. 4 on the route

In a stable at the Hagelkruis in Beugen

stood a donkey and next to him an ox.

The donkey could look forward to every day

but the second one was constantly the one to blame.

For the plow the ox had to, yes the godly day

And the donkey slept out, didn't do a damn thing.

To the market on Mondays, he brought a few pounds of freight,

For the rest, he got time off from the farmer.

Plagued by compassion, the donkey said one day:

'Yet pretend to be sick today!'

'Good idea,' said the ox and when he saw the farmer coming,

he had terrible stomach trouble.

The ox who stayed home, but the little plan failed

Now the donkey had to work on the land.

He toiled and sweated and the ox, yes it shone

And the donkey thought: oy, this is getting way out of hand.

Dear ox, said the donkey, after days of toil

'k have bad news, I fear for your constitution.

Will you still not be healthy for the team tomorrow

comes the butcher, say do you know?

The ox was startled - did you really hear that? -

and at the crack of dawn the beast stood

As healthy as a fish waiting at the gate

and the donkey bellowed with relief, "Life is a celebration!

© 2021 Geurt Franzen

after a fable from Egypt