Who’s The Ass?
By Benjamin Franklin
Once, on a time, it by chance came to pass,
That a man and his son were leading an ass.
Cried a passerby “Neighbor! You’re shrewdly put to it,
To lead an ass empty, and trudge it on foot!”
“Nay” quoth the old man, “If folk do so mind us,
I’ll even climb the ass, and boy mount behind us.”
But as they jogged on, they were laughed at and hissed.
“What! Two booby lubbers, on one sorry beast?
This is such a scene, as never was known,
And ‘tis a sign that the ass, is none of your own!”
So down gets the boy, and walks by side.
‘Til another cries out “What! You old fool, must you ride?
When you see that the boy, so weakly and young,
Forced through thick and thin, to trudge it along!”
Then down gets the father, and up gets the son.
“If this cannot please them, we ne’er shall have done.”
But they had not gone far, when woman cried out,
“Oh you young, graceless imp! You’ll be hanged, no doubt!
Must you ride an ass and your father that’s gray,
Even foot it and pick out the best of his way?”
So now, to please all, they but one trick lack.
And that is to carry the ass, pick pack.
But when that was tried, it appeared such a jest,
It occasioned more laughter by half, than the rest.
Thus, he who’d please all, and their good liking gain,
Shows a deal of good nature, but labors in vain.