This classic fable, 'The Donkey and the Ox,' is one of the introductory tales from the legendary collection 'One Thousand and One Nights'. It tells the story of an overworked ox who complains to a clever donkey. The donkey advises the ox to pretend to be sick to get a day off, but the plan backfires spectacularly when the donkey is forced to do the ox's grueling work instead. This cautionary tale about the unintended consequences of trickery serves as a story-within-a-story, told by the Vizier to his daughter Scheherazade to dissuade her from her dangerous plan.