By: W.C. Reader

From the early years of our life, the donkey always has been one of our favorites among the beasts of burden. We guess that is because he is unexcitable, accepts his social status without complaint, demands few luxuries, subsists on what nature tosses his way, gets little praise for the duties he performs, and makes no complaint about being made the butt of countless jokes.

Even though our formative years were spent on the farm, we don’t recall becoming acquainted with the donkey until we started to school. Those were the years when no public transportation was furnished to students living in the rural areas. Thus it was up to our parents to get us to school the best way that was available. Besides walking, that might include buggies, wagons, hacks (?) gigs, saddle horses, and – ah yes – donkeys, among other things. There were no sheds or pens for the animals, so they usually were tied under trees located a short distance from the school building. So it was easy for us youngsters to wander down there to admire each other’s animals – and maybe accept a Bull Durham cigarette offered by the bigger boys.

Financial discussions and sales rarely came into play during those Depression days; because few of us farm boys had any spending money. But on several occasions, we still remember hearing the sum of 25¢ being tossed about. Which just gives you a suggestion of the value, which was attached to this hardy and long-suffering animal in those troublesome days.

But along came the school bus in the early 1930s, with the end result that the donkey was pushed further down the ladder of economic usefulness. No longer did you see him tethered to trees at the country and town schools, and a drive down country lanes gave little evidence that he was eating his fill in the pastures. And so it appeared that here was another creature of God that was doomed to sink into obscurity.

But not so fast. In recent years we have noticed single donkeys running with herds of cattle on farms in the local area, and elsewhere. Now, we are beginning to see herds (?) of this patient start to appear on certain farms, suggesting that they are being raised for commercial purposes. Two such operations are presently being carried out within a mile of where we live. Upon making further inquiry, we have been told that the donkey again has raised prominence, and he now is sought by cattlemen, and allowed to run with their herds. The reason? The donkey supposedly has a great dislike for the coyote, and he offers great protection to young calves from this notorious beast of prey and scavenger. If this be true, then we say “Hallelujah”! Resurrection is for the many, and not just for a few!

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