The Company We Keep

A farmer went to the market one day

To buy another ass for his farm.

He had a few in his stable already,

But adding one more would do no harm.

 

He came across a nice-looking beast,

In wonderful shape. No denial.

But in order for him to be sure,

He asked if he could take it on trial.

 

"I want to know what he's like," he said.

"And see how my other animals find him."

The owner agreed, and the farmer left.

The ass plodded along behind him.

 

"I hope he's like my better workers;

The other ones are as slow as molasses,"

The farmer mumbled. Back at the farm,

He put the ass with the other asses.

 

After surveying the new surroundings,

The new ass felt that he was able

To choose wisely, and so he befriended

The laziest, greediest ass in the stable.

 

After observing the ass's behavior,

Immediately--that same afternoon--

The farmer returned the beast to the owner,

Who was surprised to see him so soon.

 

"Back already?" the owner said.

"I guess he didn't pass your test.

How did you decide so quickly?

Didn't he get along with the rest?"

 

“It didn’t take me long to see

His true nature,” the farmer replied.

"He sidled up to the laziest ass

In the stable as soon as he got inside."

 

To figure out the moral here,

We don't have to dig very deep:

People can know a lot about us

By the company we keep.

-by Bob B (8-14-21)

°An Aesop fable, "The Ass and Its Purchaser," retold here in verse