God created the mule, and told him, "You are mule. You
will work constantly from dusk to dawn, carrying heavy
loads on your back. You will eat grass and lack
intelligence. You will live for 35 years."
The mule answered, "To live like this for 35 years is
too much. Please, give me no more than 20."
And it was so.
Then God created the dog, and told him, "You are dog.
You will hold vigilance over the dwellings of Man, to
whom you will be his greatest companion. You will eat
his table scraps and live for 30 years."
The dog responded, "Lord, to live 30 years as a dog
like that is too much. Please, no more than 10 years."
And it was so.
God then created the monkey, and told him, "You are
monkey. You shall swing from tree to tree, acting like
an idiot. You will be funny, and you shall live for 20
years."
The monkey responded, "Lord, to live 20 years as the
clown of the world is too much. Please, Lord, give me
no than 10 years."
And it was so.
Finally, God created Man and told him, "You are Man,
the only rational Being that walks the earth. You will
use your intelligence to have mastery over the
creatures of the world. You will dominate the earth and
live for 20 years."
The man responded, "Lord, to be Man for only 20 years
is too little. Please, Lord; give me the 15 years the
mule refused, the 20 years the dog refused, and the 10
years the monkey rejected."
And so God made Man to live 20 years as a man, then
marry and live 15 years like a mule working and
carrying heavy loads on his back. Then, he is to have
children and live 20 years as a dog, guarding his house
and eating the leftovers after they empty the pantry;
then, in his old age, to live 10 years as a monkey,
acting like an idiot to amuse his grandchildren.
And it is so...
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