The Robbers and the Ass

The Robbers and the Ass is a fable written by Jean de La Fontaine. In this story, an ass carrying gold is intercepted by thieves who kill it to divvy up the treasure. However, they find nothing inside the poor animal, revealing the foolishness of their greed. The fable demonstrates the moral that greed often leads to disappointment and unnecessary harm.

• Fable

								
Two Thieves were fighting for a prize,
    A Donkey newly stolen; sell or not to sell--
That was the question--bloody fists, black eyes:
    While they fought gallantly and well,
         A third thief happening to pass,
         Rode gaily off upon the ass.

The ass is some poor province it may be;
    The thieves, that gracious potentate, or this,
Austria, Turkey, or say Hungary;
Instead of two, I vow I've set down three
(The world has almost had enough of this),
    And often neither will the province win:
    For third thief stepping in,
         'Mid their debate and noisy fray,
         With the disputed donkey rides away.


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