Summer was the hottest time of the year, especially in the village where a woodcutter lived. The woodcutter had some Oxen who dragged the wagon loaded with Axle Trees to the nearby town.
On one such summer afternoon, the woodcutter loaded the wagon with many Axle Trees and was taking the wagon to the town. It was hot and the road was broken.
It was difficult for the Oxen to walk on the road and drag the wagon. They cried in pain but they listened to their master and quietly kept walking. The heat made them feel tired.
The wagon hit many bumps and the trees were rolling from side to side. The Axle Trees lay there without doing any work. But they kept growling and complaining throughout the way.
The Trees exclaimed, “Can you please be careful while walking? We are getting hurt rolling from one side to the other. And it is so hot. We are feeling very tired.”
The Oxen got very upset. They thought, ‘we are doing all the hard work and these Trees are lying down comfortably. And still, they are upset.’
After walking for some more distance, the Trees started complaining again. Hearing them, the Oxen stopped and said, “Trees, why are you crying? We are the ones doing all the hard work. Our feet are getting twisted on this broken road and the heat is also tiring us. And you are just lying there without doing any work. Is it fair for you to complain like this?”
The Trees felt ashamed of themselves. They realised their mistake and kept quiet throughout the journey.
