Donkey versus burro

I have just a quick comment about “Love and War” (EQUUS 472), about a burro named Smoke befriended by Marines in Iraq. The story refers to him as a donkey rather than a burro. I know lots of people think a donkey is the same as a burro, because “burro” is the Spanish word for “donkey.”

But there are plenty of us who feel differently. Especially the kind that Smoke was. He was a Jerusalem burro, named for the black cross on his back, which is believed to represent peace. The Jerusalem burro is believed to be the animal that carried Mary to the inn and Jesus to Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. Burros are smaller than donkeys, and their personality is also different. I thought the story was great. I just wanted to point out a distinction that some people make regarding this sweet and humble ancient beast of burden.

L. J. Frech Newberg, Oregon