The donkey and the lapdog

There was once a man who had a donkey and a lapdog.

The donkey was housed in the stable with plenty of oats and hay to eat and was as well off as an donkey could be.

The little dog was made a great pet of by his master, who fondled him and often let him lie in his lap; and if he went out to dinner, he would bring back a titbit or two to give him when he ran to meet him on his return.

The donkey had, it is true, a good deal of work to do, carting or grinding the corn, or carrying the burdens of the farm: and before long he became very jealous, contrasting his own life of labour with the ease and idleness of the lap-dog.

At last one day he broke his halter, and frisking into the house just as his master sat down to dinner, he pranced and capered about, mimicking the frolics of the little favourite, upsetting the table and smashing the crockery with his clumsy efforts.

Not content with that, he even tried to jump onto his master's lap, as he had so often seen the dog do.

At that the servants, seeing the danger their master was in, belaboured the silly donkey with sticks, and drove him back to his stable half dead with his beating.

"Alas!" he cried, "all this I have brought on myself. Why could I not be satisfied with my natural and honourable position, without wishing to imitate the ridiculous antics of that useless little lapdog?"

Vocabulary:
Lapdog: Perro suficientemente pequeño para ser transportado en los brazos o acostarse cómodamente en el regazo de una persona
Housed: Alojado
Oats: Copos de avena
Hay: Heno
Fondled: Acariciaba
Titbit: Exquisitez, golosina
Good deal: Gran cantidad
Carting: Cargando
Grinding: Moliendo
Corn: Trigo
Burdens: Cargas, pesos
Before long: Dentro de poco
Ease: Facilidad
Idleness: Desocupación, haraganería
Halter: Ronzal, bozal abierto para dirigir o atar el ganado
Frisking: Jugueteando
Pranced: Brincó, hizo cabriolas (saltos que hacen los caballos dando patadas)
Capered: Corrió y brincó
Frolics: Jugueteos, retozos
Crockery: Loza, vajillas
Clumsy: Torpe
Efforts: Esfuerzos
Belaboured: Fustigaron
Alas!: ¡Ay!
Antics: Travesuras