Short Stories » You Cannot Please Everyone

You Cannot Please Everyone

Bill a 40 year old man was a cloth vendor. He used to sell different types of clothes in the nearby towns and villages. He used to carry the cloth bags on top of his donkey.

He took his 15 years old son along with him to a nearby town. The donkey carried two bags and all the clothes were sold. Both father and son were happy. After having a huge business and lump sum profit, Bill was happily returning home with his son and his donkey.

They were very tired and find it too hard to reach their place. All the three walked slowly on their way back to home.

Two men saw them very tired. They spoke to themselves, ‘See they are very tired and exhausted it seems. They have a donkey, why not any one of them can sit in that donkey? Fools, they find it difficult to walk and still don’t use the donkey!’

The father and son heard the two men having a conversation about them and son asked his father to sit on the donkey.

He agreed and sat on the donkey. After a few minutes, an old man saw Bill on top of the donkey and yelled at him, ‘Hey look at your boy. He is so tired and why are you sitting on the donkey. Let him sit on the donkey and you walk!’

Bill made his son sit on the donkey and they contained their journey for a while. Another stranger shouted at Bill’s son, ‘Hey you are too young, can’t you walk? You made your father walk behind you? Get down now!’

Bill and his son was confused and did not know what to do. They both decided to sit on the donkey. The donkey was unable to walk carrying heavy weight on his back.

Another man saw them at a distance and rushed towards them. He shouted at Bill and his son, ‘Are you mad? How the donkey can carry you both? Can’t you walk? Why are you hurting this animal?’

Bill and the boy were stunned and remained speechless for a while.

It is not possible to please everyone. Everyone has got different views and opinions. It’s too hard to please or follow everyone. Sometimes, we should go by what our mind says and simply follow the heart.

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You Cannot Please Everyone - Takeaway for Class 1,2,3

It's important to make choices that feel right to you, even if everyone else might not agree.

You Cannot Please Everyone - Takeaway for Class 4,5,6

It's important to do what you think is right because you can't make everyone happy all the time.

You Cannot Please Everyone - Takeaway for Class 7,8,9

It's important to remember that trying to make everyone happy is impossible, so focus on doing what you believe is right.

3 Fun Facts

• The story is about a farmer and his son who try to take their donkey to the market, encountering different people's opinions along the way.
• At first, they walk beside the donkey, then both ride it, and eventually carry it, after trying to please everyone's advice.
• In the end, they learn a valuable lesson when the donkey falls into the river, showing that trying to satisfy everyone can lead to trouble.

Quiz for Class 1,2,3

• What were the farmer and his son taking to the market?
• Why did the farmer and his son change how they traveled with the donkey during their journey?
• What happened to the donkey at the end of the story?

Quiz for Class 4,5,6

• What lesson did the father and son learn after listening to different people's comments about the donkey?
• How did the father and son try to please the people they encountered on the road initially?
• How did the story "You Cannot Please Everyone" end, and what was the father and son's decision regarding their journey with the donkey?

Quiz for Class 7,8,9

• What lesson did the man and his son learn while trying to please everyone they met on their journey with the donkey?
• Describe one specific incident from the story where the man and his son changed their actions to try and please someone. What was the result?
• In what way did the man and his son ultimately decide to handle their situation after hearing all the different opinions from the people they encountered?