An _Old Man_ and an _Ass_.
An _Old Man_ and a _Little Boy_ were driving an _Ass_ before them to the
next Market to Sell. Why have you no more Wit, (says One to the Man upon
the Way,) then you and your Son to Trudge it a Foot, and let the _Ass_ go
Light? So the Man set the _Boy_ upon the _Ass_, and Footed it Himself.
Why Sirrah, says another after this, to the _Boy_, Ye Lazy Rogue you,
must you Ride, and let your Ancient _Father_ go A-Foot? The Man upon this
took down his _Boy_, and got up _Himself_. D’ye see (says a Third) How
the Lazy Old Knave Rides _Himself_, and the Poor Little _Child_ has much
ado to Creep after him! The _Father_, upon this, took up his _Son_ behind
him. The next they met, ask’d the _Old Man_ whether his _Ass_ were his
Own or no? He said Yes. Troth, there’s little sign on’t says t’other, by
your Loading him thus. Well, says the Fellow to Himself, and what am I to
do now? For I am Laugh’d at, if either the _Ass_ be empty, or if _One_ of
us Rides, or _Both_; and so in the Conclusion he Bound the _Asses_ Legs
together with a Cord, and they try’d to Carry him to Market with a Pole
upon their Shoulders betwixt them. This was Sport to every Body that saw
it, insomuch that the _Old Fellow_ in great Wrath threw down the _Ass_
into a River, and so went his way Home again. The _Good Man_, in Fine,
was willing to please Every Body, but had the Ill Fortune to Please No
Body, and lost his _Ass_ into the Bargain.
The MORAL.
_He that Resolves not to go to Bed till all the World is pleas’d, shall
be troubled with the Head-Ach._