The Horse and The Laden Ass

An idle Horse, and an Ass, bearing a heavy load, were traveling together along a dusty road. They both belonged to a countryman, who went on foot beside them.

The Ass was very tired because of the heat and his heavy burden, and begged the Horse to help him by taking some of his load and carrying it for him.

The Horse, however, was ill-natured, and refused to do it; at which the poor Ass tumbled down in the midst of the highway, and died in an instant.

The countryman at once unfastened his packsaddle and tried to relieve him, thinking that he had only fainted, but all to no purpose.

When he saw that the Ass was really dead, he took the whole burden and laid it upon the Horse, together with the skin of the dead Ass, so that the Horse was much worse off than he would have been if he had helped the Ass at first.