That’s a father’s advice to his children that I came across as I was scrolling through Instagram.
I paused for a few seconds, staring at the post—perhaps you would do the same. The father says: Better to be a wolf that everyone hates than a donkey that everyone rides.
Honestly I believe this father has his own philosophy, but I couldn’t help but set aside his advice and think about the differences between the two animals. Please don’t think I’m making any reference to the father for humans are not animals … perhaps … sometimes, metaphorically, some may be, if we live just to eat and drink.
So, wolves and donkeys belong to different categories, right?
Wolves are predators—they definitely eat donkeys. They’re aggressive hunters, social within their packs, and well adapted to their environment. Children hate wolves in fiction, and farmers chase them away to protect their livestock. And, there are some humans who hunt wolves professionally, seeking their soft, thick, and expensive fur.
Do you know that wolves within their own families do not hate each other? Actually, they care for, cooperate, and communicate well among themselves. Wolves rely on their prey. They hunt to survive—which is the ultimate aspiration of any animal life.
Donkeys are herbivorous animals. They’re domisticated farm animals. They’re humble, preseverant, cautious, and well adapted to their environment. In my culture, they are not described so kindly, though. If one is lazy, stubborn, or has an awful singing voice, they might be mocked as a donkey.
Donkeys love company and live in herds, which is why they look lonely and miserable when they haven’t others around. But they can also be aggressive—any prey can be when defending itself. They kick, lunge, and bite. Yet, humans don’t hate them, instead, they use them to their full capacity. And, don’t forget that donkeys too live to eat and survive.
Wolves can never belong to a herd of donkeys, and donkeys can never be part of a wolf pack. They both can live around humans, but humans always manage to have the upper hand with both.
So, wouldn’t it be better to live as a human—not a predator or prey, but as a sensible person with free will?
With hope and peace,
Nahla
Pure and Simple 