One day, a merchant was driving his donkey homeward from the seashore with a heavy load of salt. They come to a river crossed by a shallow ford. They had crossed this river many times before without accident, but this time the donkey slipped and fell when halfway over. When the merchant at last got the donkey to his feet, much of the salt had melted away. Delighted to find how much lighter his burden had become, the donkey finished the journey very cheerfully. The merchant, however, was much less pleased. The next day the merchant led his donkey back to the seashore for another load of salt. On the way home, the donkey remembering what had happened at the ford, purposely let himself fall into the water, and again got rid of most of his heavy load. The merchant was furious. He immediately tumed around and drove the donkey back to the seashore, where he loaded him with great baskets filled with sponges. At the ford, the donkey again purposely stumbled and fell into the water, but this time, when the donkey had scrambled to his feet, his load was not lighter, and it was very unhappy donkey that dragged himself homeward under a load ten times heavier than before. The merchant was much less pleased because ____

Question

One day, a merchant was driving his donkey homeward from the seashore with a heavy load of salt. They come to a river crossed by a shallow ford. They had crossed this river many times before without accident, but this time the donkey slipped and fell when halfway over. When the merchant at last got the donkey to his feet, much of the salt had melted away. Delighted to find how much lighter his burden had become, the donkey finished the journey very cheerfully. The merchant, however, was much less pleased.

The next day the merchant led his donkey back to the seashore for another load of salt. On the way home, the donkey remembering what had happened at the ford, purposely let himself fall into the water, and again got rid of most of his heavy load.

The merchant was furious. He immediately tumed around and drove the donkey back to the seashore, where he loaded him with great baskets filled with sponges. At the ford, the donkey again purposely stumbled and fell into the water, but this time, when the donkey had scrambled to his feet, his load was not lighter, and it was very unhappy donkey that dragged himself homeward under a load ten times heavier than before.

The merchant was much less pleased because ____