AN ASS, belonging to an herb-seller who gave him too little food and
too much work made a petition to Jupiter to be released from his
present service and provided with another master. Jupiter, after
warning him that he would repent his request, caused him to be sold to
a tile-maker. Shortly afterwards, finding that he had heavier loads to
carry and harder work in the brick-field, he petitioned for another
change of master. Jupiter, telling him that it would be the last time
that he could grant his request, ordained that he be sold to a tanner.
The Ass found that he had fallen into worse hands, and noting his
master’s occupation, said, groaning: “It would have been better for me
to have been either starved by the one, or to have been overworked by
the other of my former masters, than to have been bought by my present
owner, who will even after I am dead tan my hide, and make me useful to
him.”