Magical Creatures

AN APPRECIATION OF THE DONKEY

With a furry face that can’t fail to inspire festive feelings, the donkey is inextricably linked to yuletide, having carried the expectant Mary to Bethlehem – a feat celebrated in the 1959 carol ‘Little Donkey’. Europe alone has 17 breeds, and donkey milk – for which they’ve been domesticated since 4000BC – is reputed to have near-miraculous properties. It’s drunk by those allergic to cow’s milk and made into soothing soaps that are reported to clear up skin problems such as psoriasis.

This member of the equine family is a beguiling mix of nobility – see its default expression of melancholy, the mysterious cross-shape marking on its back and appearance of heavily kohl-lined eyes – and comedy (those over-long ears, the short, upright mane, the tufty coat, that broken voice). Recently, the donkey’s most infamous trait has been presented in a new light: experts say its reputation for stubbornness is based on a nose for danger and a strong sense of self-preservation. It really can’t put a hoof wrong.

Famous donkeys include AA Milne’s Eeyore, who exudes gloominess throughout the Winnie-the-Pooh books and is the antithesis of the exuberant, energetic Tigger, yet arguably attracts even more affection. The wooden string puppet Muffin the Mule delighted post-Second-World-War children with his rather tame antics (some available on YouTube) and is considered the first star of children’s TV. A more recent appearance in popular culture is the excitable and talkative sidekick of the eponymous ogre in the Shrek films, voiced by Eddie Murphy and inspiring a worldwide wave of affection. This is what Equus asinus* does to people. Home to hundreds of the much-loved animals, The Donkey Sanctuary in Devon is famously the recipient of many a bequeathed legacy. As well as running farms where rescued asses are restored to good health and live out their days, offering therapy to vulnerable children and adults, and giving the opportunity to simply visit and admire these charming creatures, the charity assists communities across the world that depend on working donkeys for their living.

Despite its long history of labouring for man’s benefit, the donkey is strongly associated with high days and holidays. They’ve been giving children rides on British beaches since Victorian times (though this often attracts criticism on welfare grounds). There’s the nostalgic party game Pin the Tail on the Donkey, and the more boisterous, increasingly popular Mexican tradition of piñata, in which a brightly decorated papier mâché figure of a burro (Spanish for donkey) is smashed apart to release the treats inside.

So, between the mince-pie-munching, greenery-hanging, present-wrapping and bird-basting this Christmas, spare a thought for this beguiling beast and raise a glass to toast the donkey and all it’s done for us over the centuries.