Aesop Cover

Measure for Measure – No. 6. The Ass and the Load of Salt – The Essential Aesop™ – Back to Basics Abridgment Series

“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” Leonardo da Vinci. Adopted by Steve Jobs.

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A Merchant was driving his Ass to market with a load of salt when he came to a river ford.

The Ass fell in the water and some of the salt melted, lightening the load. Of course, this delighted the Ass.

The next day, bearing another load of salt, the Ass remembered what happened. So, trying to be clever, the Ass purposefully fell into the river to melt the salt.

The Merchant observed the condition carefully, so, the next day, the Merchant loaded the Ass with sponges.

And so it was, that during the day’s journey, the Ass again purposely tumbled in the river. But now, instead of lightening the load, for the sponges, the Ass made the load ten times heavier!

From then on, the Ass, having learned his lesson, knew the burden could become greater if he fell again, and so he traveled steadfastly in his own self-interest.

Moral of the Story: We are naturally conditioned to our circumstances, and our natural tendency is to act in our self-interest until controlled by self or others. Clever plans are matched to clever plans.

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Introduction – The Essential Aesop – Epilogue

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Why We Loved It: This fable reminds us that each person will naturally gravitate to self-interest, and “Those who will not govern themselves, will be governed by others.

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© 2013 Gregg Zegarelli, Esq. and Arnold Zegarelli. Gregg can be contacted through LinkedIn. Arnold Zegarelli can be contacted through Facebook.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/persuasion-v-force-1-north-wind-sun-essential-aesop-zegarelli-esq-/?

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