The Ass and His Shadow

Summary

In this story, a Traveler hires a donkey to take him to a distant location, and during their journey on a hot day, the Traveler seeks shade under the donkey to escape the sun. A conflict arises between the Traveler and the donkey's owner over the right to use the donkey's shadow for shelter. The owner argues that only the donkey itself was hired and not its shadow, while the Traveler insists that the shadow is included. This disagreement escalates into a physical altercation, leading to a distraction that allows the donkey to escape, emphasizing how petty disputes can lead to losing sight of what is essential.

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A Traveler hired an Ass to convey him to a distant place. The day being intensely hot, and the sun shining in its strength, the Traveler stopped to rest, and sought shelter from the heat under the Shadow of the Ass. As this afforded only protection for one, and as the Traveler and the owner of the Ass both claimed it, a violent dispute arose between them as to which of them had the right to the Shadow. The owner maintained that he had let the Ass only, and not his Shadow. The Traveler asserted that he had, with the hire of the Ass, hired his Shadow also. The quarrel proceeded from words to blows, and while the men fought, the Ass galloped off.