The Farmer Who Could Understand Animals

I am a huge fan of the book The Richest Man in Babylon.  I buy half a dozen copies at a time and give them to my friends when the subject of money comes up.   I’ve participated in and run book studies.  It’s such a simple and pointed book that is as fun to read as it is instructional.  There’s one part of the book that I retell to people often, and it applies quite well to any lenders that might make lenient repayment terms with borrowers that are getting behind.

I’ll tell the story here (although the version printed in the book is much better).  In the book, this parable is told from a seasoned moneylender to a spear maker.  The spear maker had recently been given a gift of 50 gold pieces from the king as a reward for presenting a new design for the spears of the royal guard.  The spear maker was beseeched by his family and friends for loans day and night.  Unsure what to do, and not wanting to lose his gold and good fortune, he asked the moneylender for advice…

There was a certain farmer who was able to understand the animals when they talked to each other.  Each night the farmer would linger in the barnyard after the day’s work was done to listen.  One night he heard this conversation between the Ox and the Ass.

The Ox would return to the barn every night, legs tired from pulling the plow through the fields all day, his neck sore from where the bow of the plow had chafed it.  The Ass took pity upon his friend the Ox and said “I know of a way you can enjoy a day of rest, my friend.  Tomorrow when the servants come to hitch you to the plow, lay on your belly and moan so they will say you are sick and cannot do the days work.”

The next day, the servants approached the farmer and said the Ox was sick and could not pull the plow.  The farmer replied “then hitch the plow to the Ass for the work must get done.”  All day the Ass pulled the plow through the fields and when evening finally came the Ass returned to the barn, his legs tired and his neck sore where the bow had chafed it.

The Ox greeted him cheerfully, “Thank you my friend!  Because of your advice I have enjoyed a day of rest.”

“And I have ended up carrying your burden,” the Ass said bitterly.  “You should not try this again, for I head the farmer say to call for the butcher if you were sick again.”  The two were no longer friends and spoke to each other no more.

If you have a loan, and are feeling kind and generous, be careful not to let your borrowers walk all over you.  Being kind may ruin your chance of successfully collecting on your loan and your investment may be lost.  If you are going to ease the burden on your borrower, be careful you don’t end up putting the burden on yourself.

I love this book, I cannot recommend it enough.  In fact, it’s where Moneylender got its name!