Roper James, an Australian lawyer from Melbourne was on a short vacation in a small country town. While walking through the streets on a quiet Sunday morning, he came upon a large

Roper James, an Australian lawyer from Melbourne, was on a short vacation in a small country town. While walking through the streets on a quiet Sunday morning, he came upon a large crowd gathered in front of a tiny general store.

Curious, he pushed his way to the front and saw a donkey standing in the middle of the road—completely blocking traffic. An old farmer stood next to it, scratching his head.

Roper: "What’s going on here, mate?"

Farmer: "Well, this here’s the town’s smartest donkey. He don’t move for nobody unless they prove they’re smarter than him!"

The lawyer smirked. "A smart donkey? Please! I’ve got a law degree from Melbourne University. Step aside, and I’ll handle this."

The crowd watched as Roper walked up to the donkey, cleared his throat, and began quoting legal jargon.

Roper: "According to section 24 of the Public Road Use Act of 1993, you are unlawfully obstructing—"

Before he could finish, the donkey let out a loud snort, turned its back to him, and sat down even harder.

The townsfolk burst into laughter.

Farmer: "Sorry, mate, looks like the donkey still thinks he’s smarter than you."

Determined, Roper pulled out a $50 bill and waved it in front of the donkey’s face.

Roper: "What if I pay you to move, eh?"

The donkey blinked, then turned its head away, unimpressed.

The lawyer sighed, stuffed the bill back in his pocket, and turned to the farmer.

Roper: "Fine, I give up! What’s the secret? How do you get him to move?"

The farmer grinned, pulled a carrot from his pocket, and dangled it in front of the donkey’s nose. The donkey perked up, trotted forward, and cleared the road in seconds.

Roper shook his head. "Of course. Should’ve known… bribery only works when you're dealing with politicians, not donkeys!"

The crowd roared with laughter as Roper walked away, defeated by the town’s smartest donkey.