One day, a long time ago, an old Miller and his Son were on their
way to market with an Ass which they hoped to sell. They drove
him very slowly, for they thought they would have a better chance
to sell him if they kept him in good condition. As they walked
along the highway some travelers laughed loudly at them.
“What foolishness,” cried one, “to walk when they might as well
ride. The most stupid of the three is not the one you would
expect it to be.”
The Miller did not like to be laughed at, so he told his son to
climb up and ride.
They had gone a little farther along the road, when three
merchants passed by.
“Oho, what have we here?” they cried. “Respect old age, young
man! Get down, and let the old man ride.”
Though the Miller was not tired, he made the boy get down and
climbed up himself to ride, just to please the Merchants.
At the next turnstile they overtook some women carrying market
baskets loaded with vegetables and other things to sell.
“Look at the old fool,” exclaimed one of them. “Perched on the
Ass, while that poor boy has to walk.”
The Miller felt a bit vexed, but to be agreeable he told the Boy
to climb up behind him.
They had no sooner started out again than a loud shout went up
from another company of people on the road.
“What a crime,” cried one, “to load up a poor dumb beast like
that! They look more able to carry the poor creature, than he to
carry them.”
“They must be on their way to sell the poor thing’s hide,” said
another.
The Miller and his Son quickly scrambled down, and a short time
later, the market place was thrown into an uproar as the two came
along carrying the Donkey slung from a pole. A great crowd of
people ran out to get a closer look at the strange sight.
The Ass did not dislike being carried, but so many people came up
to point at him and laugh and shout, that he began to kick and
bray, and then, just as they were crossing a bridge, the ropes
that held him gave way, and down he tumbled into the river.
The poor Miller now set out sadly for home. By trying to please
everybody, he had pleased nobody, and lost his Ass besides.
If you try to please all, you please none.
Discussion
Comments
Re: Paul is dead
I think I wore the needle out when I got that record many years ago.
What prompted this post?
The two most imaginative, creative members of the band are dead.
Well, well, well. Oh well.
By jody on 26 March 2007 · 03:54
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Re: Paul is dead
I was just thinking about influential popular culture voices against the “war” and I could not think of a single convincing one. And I started to wonder why that was so and I realized it wasn’t always.
Now I’m just making myself sad. Well, at least I know the person who made the hamster dance web page will go to Hell. That cheers me up a little.
By A is A on 26 March 2007 · 10:33
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Re: Paul is dead
> influential popular culture voices against the “war”
Justin Timberlake, ya loser!
Seriously though, Neil Young comes to mind.
By jody on 26 March 2007 · 11:35
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Re: Paul is dead
If a few of the younger superstars like Timberlake would be very vocal about it I’d count them. Staging love-ins, doing the talk-shows and talking about it instead of their new ______s. Activism requires actual activity. Kind of mumbling, “Yeah, war sucks,” now and then is nothing. The vocal celebs like Sarandon and Depp flub the message by basing Bush and Co instead of the warlike behavior that all the serious Democratic candidates have promised to perpetuate and all but a handful voted for from the jump.
I liked Neil Young dearly but I consider him something of an uber-has-been who is so busy fading away he doesn’t realize how burned out he’s become. Ho-ho. I blame him for ruining Pearl Jam. A band with 500 or so albums and approximately 15 songs you can listen to, and most of them were on Ten.
By A is A on 26 March 2007 · 14:43
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Re: Paul is dead
To be fair, Paul has not been completely mute on the subject of war, as in this snippet from his 1997 Calico Skies:
Long live all of us crazy soldiers Who were born under calico skies May we never be called to handle All the weapons of war we despise
but this admittedly feels like a halfhearted diversion in the context of a larger love song. Maybe he thinks the public would only accuse him of trying to follow in the shadow of his former band mate, and so he's relegated himself to the world of landmines and baby seal clubbing.
As for today, Arlo Guthrie comes to mind as a pretty vocal demonstrator. He just had - or might still be in the midst of - his Alice's Restauraunt revival tour.
By Joseph on 27 March 2007 · 16:49
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Re: Paul is dead
I really dig Arlo. One of the few acts from back in the day I’ve seen live (a story sort of about it)… I doubt 10% of Americans even know who he is though. :( Or his dad.
And I do like Paul. I just miss John and really do wonder.
By A is A on 27 March 2007 · 17:51
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