The Donkeys who Petitioned Zeus

The donkeys were unhappy that they had to carry heavy burdens and perform hard labor. "We're being punished cruelly for no good reason!" they said, and so they decided to send ambassadors to Zeus.
"O great Zeus," said the donkey ambassadors, "please set us free from our labors and burdens!"
"I'll do no such thing," said Zeus. Then he laughed. "Although I might reconsider if you donkeys all piss a river together."
The donkeys took him seriously, and ever since, whenever one donkey sees another donkey's piss, he also starts pissing, hoping to create that river and win Zeus's favor.


Inspired byMille Fabulae et Una, a collection of Latin fables that I've edited, free to read online. I am not translating the Latin here; instead, I am just telling a 100-word version of the fable.
Notes: This is fable 768 in the book, which is Perry 185.



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