The Incredibly Stupid Woman

Every morning the old woman went to the river bank with her bucket to fetch water for the donkey. It was a long walk, past the dead willow tree, past the high fence, across the wide meadow, and down the steep hill to the river bank.

Once at the river bank, she scooped up a bucket of water and then walked back up the steep hill, climbed over the high fence, walked back across the wide meadow, past the dead willow and poured the water into the donkey’s watering trough.

Or would have poured the water into the donkey’s trough had the bucket contained any water. But today the bucket was empty.

“I could swear I just filled this bucket,” the old woman muttered to herself. The donkey just stood there starring into the trough.

“Well, back to the river,” she groaned and once again the old woman made the trip past the dead willow tree, across the far meadow, over the high fence, and down the steep hill to the river bank.”

As she scooped up another bucket of water, she scolded the river: “You better stop playing tricks on me river. Stop stealing the water out of my bucket.”

“I didn’t steal your water,” the river gurgled, “Besides, how could I steal something that was mine to begin with.”

But the old woman had already turned her back and was making her way back up the steep hill.

“I’m lucky this bucket is light,” she said to herself, “Or this would be an impossible task.”

But when she went to pour the water into the donkey’s trough she again found herself with an empty bucket and no water.

“Well, donkey, that’s enough for today,” she said, “I’ll try again tomorrow. “

The donkey just stood there starring into the trough.

But the next day was the same and so was the day after. No matter how many times the old woman went to the river to fetch water she returned with an empty bucket. And each time she returned she blamed the river for stealing back the water in her bucket.

By now, the donkey was severely dehydrated and on the verge of death. As the old woman approached with another empty bucket, the donkey said: “Stupid woman, the river isn’t stealing back its water. You have a hole in your bucket.” And with that the donkey fell down and died.

The woman held the bucket up over her head and could see a round circle of sky and clouds through the hole where a knot had fallen out.

“Well, donkey, we're both wrong; it was the clouds in the bottom of my bucket that soaked up all the water.”