Aesop's Fables

[Speck Tater]

Written long ago, but still true:

The Ass and the Old Shepherd


A SHEPHERD, watching his Ass feeding in a meadow, was alarmed all
of a sudden by the cries of the enemy. He appealed to the Ass to
fly with him, lest they should both be captured, but the animal
lazily replied, "Why should I, pray? Do you think it likely the
conqueror will place on me two sets of panniers?' "No," rejoined
the Shepherd. "Then," said the Ass, "as long as I carry the
panniers, what matters it to me whom I serve?'


In a change of government the poor change nothing
beyond the name of their master.

[MineralMan]

1. A very good fable, indeed.

Forgotten by the Ass, though, is the idea that the "enemy" may be hungry after the battle and choose the convenient ass for a barbecue. He would then be free of his panniers forever. Small comfort that.

[damntexdem]

2. Seldom true: some governments are far worse on the poor than others.

And the differences are expressed in different levels of yearly mortality of the poor.