Once upon a time in a quiet village, there lived a kind washerman named Ramu. He was not rich, but he was always cheerful and hardworking. Ramu had two pets who helped him in their own ways—a loyal dog named Bhola, and a playful donkey named Golu.

Bhola was quiet and calm. He had sharp ears and guarded Ramu’s little house at night. Golu, on the other hand, was a jolly fellow. He carried heavy bundles of clothes for Ramu during the day and spent the night dreaming under the stars.

Bhola and Golu were good friends, but sometimes Golu would tease Bhola, saying,

“Why do you just lie around at night? I carry bundles all day, and you just bark!”

Bhola replied, “Guarding is my job. We all help in different ways.”

But Golu wasn’t satisfied. He wanted to prove that he could be a better guard too.

One peaceful night, as Bhola was resting, he heard soft footsteps in the yard. A thief had jumped over the fence! Bhola got up slowly and watched quietly from the shadows.

He whispered to Golu, “Let’s wait a little. If we bark now, the thief might run away and escape. Let’s wait until he comes closer so we can scare him properly.”

But Golu didn’t understand Bhola’s clever thinking. He thought Bhola was being lazy again.

“No! We must act now!” Golu neighed loudly and started braying—“Hee-haw! Hee-haw!”

The thief heard the noise and quickly climbed back over the fence and ran away. But the commotion woke up Ramu too.

He ran out with a stick, confused and sleepy. He saw Golu braying wildly and thought, “This naughty donkey is making a mess again!”

Ramu gave Golu a small whack on the back and said, “Stop making noise in the middle of the night!”

Poor Golu! He just wanted to help.

The next morning, Bhola gently said to Golu,

“I know you wanted to help. But next time, let’s plan together. I’ve been guarding this house for years. I know how to scare away thieves.”

Golu looked down sadly and nodded.

“I’m sorry, Bhola. I just wanted to be useful too.”

Bhola smiled and wagged his tail.

“You are useful, Golu! You carry Ramu’s bundles and make him laugh with your silly dances. But guarding takes a different kind of thinking.”

From that day on, Bhola and Golu worked even better as a team. Golu respected Bhola’s wisdom, and Bhola admired Golu’s strength.

And Ramu? He was the happiest of all, for he had the best dog and donkey in the whole village!