= 父子騎驢

A father and his son are going to the market with their donkey. A stranger sees them and says:

“How silly—you have a donkey but neither of you rides it!”

So the father puts the boy on the donkey and they move on.

Soon, another person shakes her head:

“What an rude child—letting his old father walk while he rides!”

Worried, the father takes the boy’s place on the donkey.

A few miles later, a third traveler throws up his hands:

“What a mean father—making a small boy walk while you ride!”

The father pulls the boy up to sit behind him. Now both ride.

They don’t go far before a fourth voice calls out:

“How can you be so cruel to the poor donkey, carrying two people under this hot sun!”

Wanting to make everyone happy, the father and son get off. They cut a pole, tie the donkey’s feet to it, and carry the animal between them. Everyone they pass laughs at the silly sight.

As they cross a bridge, the donkey gets scared by all the noise. It kicks free, falls into the river, and drowns.

The moral: If you try to please everyone, you end up pleasing no one—and you might lose your donkey too.