The tiger and the donkey

It is said that in times immemorial a merchant, returning from a long journey, bought a donkey, the fattest and stupidest of them all. He loaded it into a boat and brought it back to his homeland. Here he let it out to graze.

Soon a tiger saw the donkey. He thought about it and decided: "This big fat beast must be a dragon. "His ears are very long. So he hid in the woods and kept watch. Suddenly the donkey raised his head and shouted. The roar was terrible. The tiger was frightened and ran away: he thought that the donkey would eat him. He sat in the bushes for a long time, trembling with fear. Then he looked out: the donkey was walking in the meadow, nibbling on grass. The tiger cheered up, crawled closer. Nothing happened! Then he went out into the meadow and meowed softly. The donkey was furious, flapping his ears and shouting.

"Eh, you must be stupid to get angry over a trifle!" - thought the tiger and meowed again.

In a terrible rage the donkey began to kick.

- Ah," exclaimed the tiger, "you are not much good! Only stupidity and stubbornness. He jumped on the donkey and ate him.

And to this day donkeys are still angry, and when you start to reassure them, they kick. That's how donkeys are recognised.