The Donkey Who Wanted to Sing

Once, a wild donkey lived alone in the forest. He had no friends and felt very lonely.

One day, a jackal walked by and saw the sad donkey.

"Why do you look so down, my friend?" asked the jackal kindly.

"I have no one to talk to. I'm always alone," said the donkey with a sigh.

"Don't worry," said the jackal. "From today, I’ll be your friend."

And from that day on, the donkey and jackal became the best of friends. They walked together, talked, and shared their time.

One cool, moonlit night, the two friends were walking near a village. They saw a grove full of ripe fruits.

“Wow! Look at those juicy fruits!” said the donkey. “Let’s eat some!”

“Sure,” said the jackal. “But let’s be quiet. We don’t want to get caught.”

They crept into the grove and ate as much as they wanted. Then they lay under a tree, full and happy.

“That was so good,” said the donkey. “But something’s missing.”

“What’s missing?” asked the jackal.

“Music!” said the donkey. “I feel like singing!”

The jackal looked worried. “Please don’t sing here. If the farmers hear you, we’ll be in trouble. Let’s go somewhere safe first.”

The donkey frowned. “You think I can’t sing?”

“That’s not it,” said the jackal. “It’s just not the right place.”

But the donkey didn’t listen. He stood tall, threw back his head, and began to sing loudly, “Hee-haw! Hee-haw!”

The jackal quickly ran and hid behind some trees.

Soon, the farmers heard the noise. They rushed in with sticks and beat the donkey badly. When they left, the donkey was lying on the ground, bruised and sore.

The jackal came out and said, “Was that the reward for your singing?”

The donkey groaned, “They don’t understand real talent.”

The jackal shook his head and said gently, “This is what happens when you ignore a friend’s good advice. I hope you’ve learned your lesson.”