• The Goat and the Ass

Jealousy brings consequences.

In a faraway land, there once lived a farmer who owned both a hardworking Ass and a clever but envious Goat. The Goat often watched the Ass carrying out strenuous tasks and noticed that the Ass received generous portions of food in return for his labor. Over time, the Goat grew envious, thinking that the Ass’s life seemed far more comfortable than his own.

One day, driven by jealousy, the Goat approached the Ass with a cunning suggestion. "You’re always working so hard," he said, "hauling heavy loads, turning the mill to grind grain, and laboring under the hot sun. If you pretend to be terribly ill and fall into a ditch, you might finally get the rest you deserve! Just think—no heavier burdens for a while."

The Ass, tired from his endless days of work, thought the Goat’s advice sounded wise. Eager for a break, he feigned sickness and threw himself into a nearby ditch, hoping his master would let him rest. But instead of receiving the reprieve he hoped for, the Ass suffered real injuries from his fall.

When the farmer found his Ass injured and in pain, he became deeply concerned. Worried that his loyal worker might never recover, he quickly summoned a doctor. After examining the Ass, the doctor gave an unusual prescription. "If you wish to save your Ass," he advised, "you must apply the lungs of a Goat to his wounds. Only this remedy will ensure his healing."

Hearing this, the farmer reluctantly sacrificed the life of the Goat, as it was the only way to save the injured Ass. Following the doctor’s instructions, he used the Goat’s lungs to treat the Ass’s wounds, and sure enough, the Ass began to heal.

In the end, the Ass recovered, but the Goat, whose envy had set these events into motion, paid the ultimate price. The Goat's jealousy had led him to harm another, but it was he who faced the consequences, while the Ass lived on, wiser from the ordeal.