Akiva the Shepherd. English edition

– Akiva, please, do everything I tell you and later we’ll decide what to do next, – Rachel entreated her husband.

– What are you up to this time? – Akiva wondered.

Rachel picked up a handful of soil, filled the dent in the donkey’s back with it, took a flower out of a pot and planted it in the middle of the dent. Then she covered it all up with a small shabby rug and said, “Take this donkey to the market with you for a whole week, okay?” She gave her husband an inquiring, hopeful look.

– Rachel, what has come over you? Are you in your right mind?! People are looking for any excuse to poke fun at me as it is, so why are you helping them?

– Akiva, choose, – said Rachel, looking more stern now. – You can either do as I say or go to school with your son tomorrow.

Akiva had to agree:

– Fine, I will do as you ask if that’s what it takes to end this conversation once and for all.

Akiva did not understand what Rachel was up to, but he took the donkey with him to the forest as his wife had instructed him to. After gathering enough dry twigs and loading them onto the animal’s back, he made his way to the market.

Seeing Akiva with a donkey that had a flower growing out of its back, the merchants and shoppers passing by began jeering loudly.