The Ass and His Masters

: Aesop's Fables

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."