The Monk’s Donkey

The seller gave the buyer explicit instructions, saying, “When you want the animal to stop, say ‘Amen’, and he’ll stop. And when you want him to go, say, very clearly, ‘Praise the Lord’.”

The donkey changed hands, and the friar went merrily on his way, finding that the donkey responded perfectly to his instructions. As they travelled along the cliff-top pass, the friar momentarily forgot the stopping word until they reached the very edge of the cliff, then, remembering, shouted “Amen” and the animal stopped dead.

The friar leaned over the animal’s head and saw the rugged rocks hundreds of feet below, and with relief, he sighed “Praise the Lord!”