An ox raised by a poor grandmother wants to help her. It pulls a merchant’s heavy carts across a difficult stretch.
When underpaid, it insists on the agreed amount and takes the money home. Its grandmother sees both the effort and the affection.
Adapted from Ellen C. Babbitt, Jataka Tales (1912), chapter XVI · Source text & illustration
Fables use imaginary events to invite reflection; interpretations vary.
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