The Story of the Washerman’s Donkey

Two jackals, Karataka and Damanaka, served the lion who was king of the forest. One day Damanaka wanted to find out what was troubling the king, but Karataka told him it was none of their business. “Let the chief minister worry about it,” he said. Anyone who meddles in another’s job may get the same thanks as the washerman’s donkey. And he told this story.

In the city of Benares there lived a washerman called Carpurapataka. In his yard he kept a Donkey and a Dog. The Donkey was tied up, but the Dog roamed free.

One morning the washerman, who had just been married, spent the time with his new wife and fell fast asleep. While he slept, a robber crept into the house and began carrying off his things. The Donkey saw what the thief was up to and was very worried.

“Good Dog,” he said, “this is your job. Why don’t you bark loudly and wake up our master?”

“Neighbour Donkey,” said the Dog, “leave the guarding to me. I could bark if I wanted to. But the truth is, our master has felt so safe lately that he has quite forgotten about me, and he doesn’t feed me nearly often enough. Masters are like that. A little fright will remind him who protects him.”

“You wretched cur!” cried the Donkey. “Fancy asking for your wages right when the work needs doing! Is that how a faithful servant behaves?”

“You perfect donkey!” snapped the Dog. “And fancy grudging the wages once the work is done! Is that how a good master behaves?”

“Mean creature, neglecting your master’s business!” said the Donkey. “Very well, then. I will wake him up myself. It is no more than my duty, for a good servant should help his master in every way he can.”

So the Donkey brayed as loudly as he possibly could. The washerman leapt up at the noise. But by then the thief had gone, and seeing nothing wrong, he flew into a rage at the Donkey for waking him, and beat the poor creature with a stick until it died.

“So that is why I say, leave it to the chief minister,” said Karataka.

About this story

This fable is told in the Hitopadesa by Karataka, one of two jackals who serve the Lion King Tawny-hide, in the second part of the book. Karataka uses it to argue that it is foolish to do someone else’s job, even with the best of intentions.

The Hitopadesa is a book of fables in Sanskrit, translated into English by Sir Edwin Arnold, who explains in his preface that he cut down the long strings of verses between the stories. The beating of the Donkey is told here in a single line.

Read the original: Sir Edwin Arnold, The Book of Good Counsels from the Hitopadesa (Project Gutenberg #13268, The Washerman’s Jackass)

Reading guidance: Ages 9–12; the donkey is beaten to death after trying to warn of a robbery. Discuss the owner’s responsibility and the difference between caution and indifference.

A closer reading

The dog and donkey argue about duties from opposite sides. The donkey stresses service when danger arrives; the dog stresses the owner’s failure to provide food after earlier service. Neither grievance excuses the washerman’s fatal violence, which comes from acting before checking why the animal called out.

Karataka uses the death to recommend staying out of another official’s work. Readers can recognize why that advice appeals at a dangerous court without treating it as a rule against helping. The more troubling problem is a household where neglect creates resentment and useful warning is punished.

Try this with the story

Write one responsibility for each participant: feeding, guarding, warning and investigating. Identify which responsibility each character neglects or attempts to fulfill. Then explain why ‘mind your own business’ leaves the owner’s conduct unexamined.

Questions to ask

• What legitimate complaint does the dog raise?
• What does the washerman fail to check?
• Why might Karataka’s lesson be incomplete?

Related stories

• The Story of the Cat Who Served the Lion — another fable told by the jackals of the Hitopadesa
• The Story of the Terrible Bell — another Hitopadesa tale from the lion’s court
• The Story of the Vulture, the Cat, and the Birds — another Hitopadesa fable where the wrong animal is punished