A traveling Salesman who owned an Ass one day bought salt, and loaded up his animal with as much salt as he could handle. On the way home the Ass stumbled as he was crossing a stream and fell into the water. The salt got wet and much of it melted and washed away, so that, when he got on his legs again, the Ass found a lighter load.

His master, however, drove him back to town and bought more salt, which added to what remained in the bags, and started out again. No sooner had they reached the stream than the Ass lay down in it, and got up, as before with a lighter load. But his master detected the trick, and turning back once more, bought many sponges, and tied them on the back of the Ass. When they came to the stream the Ass again lay down; but this time, as the sponges soaked up water, he found, when he got up on his legs, that he had a bigger burden to carry than ever.

The moral of the story: You may play a good card once too often.

1. What did the man buy at the market?

2. Why did the Ass sit in the water?

3. What did the man teach the Ass?

4. How did the man teach the Ass?

5. How many times did the man go to the market?

6. How many times would the man have bought salt if he were clever? How many times would he have bought salt if he were not clever or thrifty?