Once upon a time, when the world was first created, God decided to give all animals a certain lifespan.He first found the donkey and asked, “How many years do you want to live?”
The donkey thought for a moment and said, “Lord, I am willing to accept your arrangement.But my life is really hard.Every day, from morning to night, I have to work, carrying heavy loads everywhere.People often beat me and kick me, as if that’s the only way to make me keep working.If I have to live for thirty years, that’s too long for me.”
God thought that made sense, so he agreed to reduce its lifespan by eighteen years.In the end, the donkey only lived for twelve years.It left contentedly.
After a while, the dog came.God asked it, “How long do you want to live?”
The dog said, “Lord, you know, I have to run around all day and bark.My feet will get tired and my voice will become hoarse.When I get old, people will just treat me like a useless dog and chase me away.Thirty years is too long for me.”
God nodded in agreement and reduced its lifespan by twelve years.So the dog lived only eighteen years.
Then the monkey came.God looked at it and said, “You should want to live longer, shouldn’t you? After all, you don’t have to pull things like the donkey, nor do you have to run around like the dog.You can live a carefree life.”
The monkey sighed and said, “Lord, my life isn’t easy either.I have to entertain people to survive, like making funny faces and performing tricks.When someone gives me an apple, it looks red and sweet, but when I bite into it, it’s sour.Sometimes I laugh the hardest, but inside I’m in pain.I can’t endure thirty years.”
God thought it made sense, so he reduced it by another ten years.In the end, the monkey only lived to be twenty.
Finally, it was the human’s turn.The human came before God, looking healthy and strong.God asked him, “How many years do you think you should live?”
The human said, “Lord, I’d like at least thirty years.”
God nodded, “Thirty years, is that enough?”
The human panicked and said, “Thirty years isn’t enough! I’ve just finished building my house, and the fire is just starting to burn in the stove; the trees I planted are just beginning to bear fruit, and I was just about to start enjoying life—and now I have to die? That’s not fair!”
God saw how anxious he was and said, “Then I’ll add the eighteen years the donkey has left to you.”
The man was still not satisfied: “That’s still not enough.”
“Alright,” God said, “I’ll add the twelve years left by the dog.”
The man shook his head: “That’s still too little.”
God thought for a moment and said, “Then I’ll add the ten years left by the monkey.But no more than that.”
So, the human lifespan became seventy years: thirty years of their own, plus eighteen years from the donkey, twelve years from the dog, and ten years from the monkey.
But even then, the man left still not entirely satisfied.
What is the meaning behind this story?
This story is actually about the different stages of life.The author uses personification to compare different stages of life to different animals:
- The first 30 years are the “human” part, representing youth, vitality, and striving;
- The next 18 years (30–48) are the “donkey,” representing middle age, when one begins to work tirelessly for family and career, facing great pressure and heavy burdens;
- The following 12 years (48–60) are the “dog,” signifying old age, when physical strength declines and one becomes increasingly dependent on others;
- The final 10 years (60-70) are the “monkey,” symbolizing old age, when one may be seen as useless and even need to please others to gain attention.
Although these descriptions may sound a bit ironic, they do reflect how people feel about the changes that come with age in real life.
What lessons can we learn from this story?
1.Life is never satisfying .
The humans in the story were given the longest life span, yet they were still dissatisfied.This shows that people are always pursuing more and better things and are rarely truly content.We often feel that there is not enough time and that we are not ready, but we are already old.
2.Different stages of life have different challenges .
We work hard when we are young, carry heavy burdens in middle age, and become frail and weak in old age.Each stage has its own difficulties, but it also has its own meaning.
3.It is most important to cherish the present.
If we always think, “It will be better in the future,” we may never be happy.True happiness is learning to live well in every stage of life and taking each day seriously.
Summary.
This adapted story is not only easier to understand, but also closer to real life.It shows us that life is not perfect, but we can find our own meaning through understanding and acceptance.Whether you are in the “human” stage, the “donkey” stage, or the ‘dog’ or “monkey” stage, as long as you live with your heart, you can live a wonderful life that is uniquely yours.
