You can’t please everyone.

An old man and his son were taking their donkey to the market to sell. To ensure the donkey would be rested and healthy for a good price, they decided to walk beside it instead of riding it.

As they walked, they passed some country folk who began to laugh. "What a foolish sight!" one woman exclaimed. "You have a donkey for riding, yet you both walk on foot." Embarrassed, the old man told his son to climb onto the donkey.

Soon, they encountered a group of men. "Look at that lazy boy!" one man jeered. "Making his poor old father walk while he rides in comfort." Hurt by the criticism, the boy quickly dismounted and the father took his place.

They hadn't gone far when they met two women. "What a selfish old man!" one of them declared. "Making his young son trudge along on foot while he rides like a king." Confused and desperate to please, the man lifted his son onto the donkey in front of him, and they continued on their way.

By the time they reached the town, they were met with jeers and laughter from a crowd of people. "Shame on you!" someone shouted. "You are cruelly overloading that poor donkey!" Overwhelmed by the constant judgment, the man and his son got off the donkey and tried to think of what to do.

After much deliberation, the man and boy came up with a "brilliant" idea. They cut a long pole, tied the donkey's feet to it, and hoisted the poor animal onto their shoulders.

The spectacle of a man and his son carrying a donkey caused everyone they met to burst into uncontrollable laughter. As they crossed a bridge, the now terrified and furious donkey began to kick and struggle. In the commotion, the donkey slipped free of the pole and fell over the side of the bridge, plunging into the river below and drowning.

The man and his son were left with nothing. An old man who had been watching their sorry state approached them and said, "There's a lesson for you. If you try to please all, you will please none".

a classic fable often attributed to Greek Author, though it appears in many cultures. The moral is that if you try to make happy everyone you will always fail and land in trouble.