In the city of Varanasi, there lives a washerman called Karpurapata. One night, as he lay very fast asleep, a thief entered his house.

In the courtyard was tied the washerman’s donkey, and beside him sat the washerman’s dog. Seeing the thief, the donkey said to the dog, “This is your job. Why are you not barking to wake up our master and scare the thief away?”

“Stay out of this,” replied the dog. “You know I protect this washerman’s house night and day so he sleeps free of care. But he has been free of worry for so long that now he no longer values what I do for him and even forgets to feed me sometimes. That is the way of most masters - they pay little attention to their servants unless they have a problem.”

“How can you let him down at this moment?” cried the donkey. “What sort of friend or servant makes demands in times of trouble?”

“And what sort of master looks after his servants only when he has need of them?” retorted the dog.

“Well, if you won’t do your job, then I will have to do it for you!” declared the donkey angrily. “I can’t stand by and let this thief rob our master! I must wake him up!” And the donkey began braying loudly.

The washerman woke up with a start, and furious at the noise, he beat the poor donkey with a stick. And that is all that the donkey got for his good intentions.

No good comes of interfering in the affairs of others.