The man and his carabao

CEBU, Philippines - One day a man who lived in the outskirts of the Cebu province was going to market with his son and his carabao. They met a couple onthe way.

“Why walk when you have a carabao to ride?” called out the husband, “seat the boy on the carabao.”

“I would like that,” said the boy, “help me up, father.” And the father did that willingly.

Soon they met another couple in the sari-sari store. “How shameful of you!” cried the woman to the boy, “Let your father ride; won’t he be tired?”

So, the boy got down and the father rode the carabao. Again they marched on.

“Poor boy,” said the next person they met, “why should the sluggish father ride while his son is walking?”

So, the boy got onto the carabao, too. As they went on, they met some foreign travellers. “How cruel of them! They are up to kill the poor carabao,” cried one of the travellers.

Hearing this, the father and the son got down. Now they decided to carry the carabao on their shoulders. As they did so, the travellers broke into laughter.

The laughter frightened the carabao. It broke free and ran away.

MORAL OF THE STORY: You cannot please everyone.

(Source: http://www.kidsgen.com/moral_stories/you_cannot_please_everyone.htm)