World Donkey Day

 

World Donkey Day

Jenny and donkey foal

I was pleased to see this picture on my screen this morning, and to discover that today is World Donkey Day. In common with many people, I suspect, donkeys have a special place in my heart. I have never known a donkey, or even been near one since my childhood, but somehow these friendly-looking quadrupeds have found their way into my consciousness, probably through children’s stories and poems.

Christopher Robin’s Eeyore, in Winnie-the-Pooh, the lugubrious, permanently pessimistic animal with the detachable tail, is both sad and endearing. One always hopes for a better outcome for him.

In ‘Don Quixote,’ Sancho Panza, Quixote’s faithful servant, rides his cherished donkey as he accompanies his master on his fanciful journey. Sancho loves his donkey almost more than life itself.

G.K. Chesterton’s poem, ‘The Donkey’ portrays the donkey as a simple, unprepossessing animal with a noble duty.

Mary Oliver in her poem, ‘The Poet Thinks about the Donkey,’ shows him as a patient, unassuming beast who will share in greatness.

Legend has it that the donkey bears a cross on his back for his part in the Nativity, carrying Mary to Bethlehem, then carrying Jesus into Jerusalem. It is also said that the donkey stood by at the crucifixion, and the shadow of the cross remained on his back after the sun rose.

The donkey in ‘Shrek’ is reliable, but extremely loud, and funny.

Before the late eighteenth century, around 1784 or 1785, donkeys were known as asses. It’s not clear why the term donkey came into being. Possibly it referred to the animal’s dun colour. It is preferable to ass, which can be a pejorative term, as in, ‘You silly ass,’ often with ass being pronounced as ‘arse.’

Donkeys have been used as beasts of burden for at least five thousand years. The majority of them work in underdeveloped countries, where their life expectancy will not usually exceed fifteen years. In more advantageous circumstances, a donkey can live up to fifty years.

There are about 185 breeds of donkey, varying from 90 cm (35”) to 150 cm (59”) in height at the withers.

A male donkey is called a Jack, or jackass, and a female is a Jenny. Jackasses are often cross-bred with female horses, to produce mules, which are stronger and more resilient than donkeys. They are valued as efficient pack animals, sure-footed, and capable of carrying heavy loads.

Donkeys have a reputation for being stubborn and awkward, mules less so. Their supporters claim that donkeys are not obstinate, but thoughtful, animals, assessing potential risks before proceeding. I think I’d be pretty careful on a narrow mountain track, too.