Juha had a neighbor who asked for things all the time. One day he borrowed a cooking pot, another day he asked for money, and sometimes he took a long time to return what he had borrowed.
Juha liked helping people, but he began to feel that his neighbor was not just asking for help. He was becoming used to depending on Juha for everything.
A New Request
One quiet morning, the neighbor knocked on Juha's door. Juha opened it with a calm smile. The neighbor said gently:
👴 Dear neighbor, you know that neighbors should help one another.
Juha answered:
🧔 Yes, I know.
The neighbor continued:
👴 And you know that I am getting older, and the road to the market is long.
Juha said:
🧔 Yes, I know.
The neighbor smiled even more.
👴 Then please lend me your donkey today. I will go to the market and come back quickly.
Juha's Answer
Juha understood that all the neighbor's long talk had been leading to one thing: the donkey. He looked at him and said kindly:
🧔 I am sorry, my neighbor. My donkey is not at home today.
The neighbor asked at once:
👴 Where did he go?
Juha replied:
🧔 Umm Al-Ward took him to the orchard.
Just as the neighbor was about to leave, a clear sound came from behind the gate:
🫏 Hee-haw!
The neighbor stopped and stared in surprise.
👴 Juha, your donkey is at home. I just heard him bray.
A Funny Line
Juha looked at the gate, then at his neighbor, and said with a serious face that almost hid a smile:
🧔 My neighbor, will you call me wrong and believe my donkey?
The neighbor laughed shyly. He understood that Juha did not want to be rude, but he also did not want to keep lending everything without limits.
The neighbor apologized and said he would try to arrange his errands himself. Juha smiled and answered:
🧔 Helping a neighbor is good, but respecting another person's limits is good too.
What We Learn
- Helping others is kind, but we do not have to say yes to every request.
- Good neighbors respect each other's limits.
- Humor can soften a moment, but honesty and respect matter most.
After-Reading Discussion
- Why did Juha not want to lend his donkey this time?
- Was the neighbor asking for help, or depending on Juha too much?
- How can we say no politely when a request is too much?