One day a donkey and his owner were walking down the road.  They passed a traveler who stopped them and asked if the donkey was for hire.  The owner said, “yes” and he agreed to have the donkey carry the man to the next village.

The traveler climbed up on the donkey and they set off.  The day was hot and about half way, they decided to stop and rest.  The only shade they could find was under the donkey.

Both men tried to fit under the donkey but there was not enough room.  “I should be the one to sit under the donkey,” the traveler said.  “I paid for a ride on the donkey.”

“No,” said the owner.  “You paid to ride on the donkey, not to sit under the donkey.”  The donkeys shadow belongs to me.”

On and on they argued.  The donkey got tired of listening to their quarrel and wondered off.  When the men finally stopped arguing, they found that the donkey and his shadow were both gone.  Now there was no donkey and there was no shadow.

The traveler demanded half of his money back and then had to walk on his own to the next village.  The owner of the donkey had to spend hours walking around in the sun looking for his lost donkey.

Who do you think the shadow belonged to?