Afandism

The Second Crossing

Panel 1: a donkey kneels in a shallow river, white salt sacks trailing pale streams into the current; Afandi wades beside it and a neighbour points from the bank. Panel 2: on dry ground Afandi holds a large porous sponge beside the donkey's roped sponges; the neighbour raises questioning palms. Panel 3: the donkey kneels under dripping, swollen sponges, the neighbour points, and Afandi opens his hands beside it in the water.

Swipe to see all three panels.

  1. Neighbour: Afandi, your salt is running out into the river.

    Afandi: The donkey fell in, neighbour. He has learned something today.

  2. Neighbour: Why load him with sponges after such a lesson?

    Afandi: So that he may learn the rest of it.

  3. Neighbour: He knelt on purpose. Why can he not rise?

    Afandi: Now he knows. Not every bath lightens the load.

One successful experiment is enough for a donkey, and very nearly enough for a philosopher.

· Wesselski (1911) Vol. 1 No. 92