Pen the Tale

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inkspot

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This is a story my brother thought of and I wrote. I think it would be a nice storybook for kids. So, I am going to say

A Donkey's Tale by Jax Hill
Copyright March 2010

Let me know what you think. It may take a few screens to get through.
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Baby Donkey stood close to Grandfather Donkey. These could be their last few moments together. Baby Donkey and Mama Donkey had been sold to Ben Jacob in Jerusalem and might be leaving that very day.

“I’m scared, Grandfather,” said Baby Donkey. “I don’t want to go.”

“Don’t worry,” said Grandfather Donkey. “You and your mama are going on a great adventure, just like the great adventure I had so many years ago.”
“Tell me again,” said Baby Donkey. “Tell me about the King you carried.”

Back in those days, I lived with Master Joseph in Nazareth, and he was betrothed to Mistress Mary. When the great decree was issued that everyone had to go to their hometown to be taxed, Joseph knew he and Mary would have to travel all the way to Bethlehem.

But it was a far journey, and Mary was “great with child,” as they said in those days. She was going to have a baby. So it was very difficult for her to ride on a donkey all those many miles. I walked along as smoothly as I could, never balking and complaining, to make sure she would be all right and have a safe journey.

Finally we came to Bethlehem. But the city was so crowded with taxpayers, no one had a room for my Master and Mistress, not even in the large inns. And Mary was going to have the baby very soon. Finally a kindly innkeeper cleared out a space in the stable, put down fresh straw and lent Master Joseph a blanket.

And so, Mary’s baby Jesus was born in a stable, just like you, Baby Donkey.

“But you knew Mary’s baby was different,” said Baby Donkey. He had heard this tale many times.

“Oh, yes,” said Grandfather Donkey.

The shepherds told us first — a thousand angels had appeared in the night sky, singing and praising God because a King had been born that night. They said Mary and Joseph’s little Son was the King who would bring peace on earth.

Then the wise men from the east arrived. They were kings themselves, and scholars. They said they had been following a special star in the east, and had come many long and weary miles to find the King whose birth the star foretold. They gave Master Joseph many presents for his baby and promised the child would be an important King.

You may well imagine how special I felt, because I had carried the mother of the newborn King! But soon, I would carry the King Himself.

You see Herod, the great ruler of the land, had heard of the mission of the wise men. He told them he wanted to find the new king, too, and worship him. But really he was afraid of the baby. He was afraid the baby would grow up and take his throne. What Herod really wanted was to kill the baby!

Master Joseph was told by an angel, in a dream, that he should take the child and flee Bethlehem. So that night he put Mary and the baby on my back, and we began our flight into Egypt. It was lucky that we did, for Herod grew anxious when the wise men did not return to report to him about the baby. They went home another way because they didn’t trust him.

So, because he could not find the baby king, he decided to kill all the babies in Bethlehem! But before the slaughter began, Joseph and I carried Mary and the baby away into Egypt, saving little Jesus’ life.

“You saved the life of the King,” Baby Donkey said in admiration.

“And there in Egypt I served him and his parents. I even carried him back to Israel when it was safe to come home,” said Grandfather Donkey proudly.

He was a fine little boy, and was growing up into a good master. Whenever I carried him, he never dug his heels into my sides, and he always gave me a little something to eat from his own lunch if we had far to go. The years passed by, and Master Joseph gave me to his wife Mary’s mother Anna to serve her, and pretty soon your mama came along, and now you.

You and your mama will take the long trip to Jerusalem, and there, Baby Donkey, you’ll be in the center of everything that’s important in Israel. I have not seen Jesus in these many years, but you may see him in Jerusalem.
Think of that! You could see the King Grandfather carried on his back these 30 years ago and more. You must stay by your mama and do whatever your new master Ben Jacob tells you. But when you get to Jerusalem, keep your eyes open to see the King.

Baby Donkey was comforted. He had longed to have a great adventure like the one Grandfather Donkey described, so when it was time to leave for Jerusalem with his mother and his new master, he went along with a happy heart.
 
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The journey to Jerusalem was over much too soon for Baby Donkey’s taste. He had enjoyed seeing the countryside and had trotted along with his ears up and his tail waving. But Jerusalem, too, was all new to him — a huge city with many exciting sights and sounds and smells!

Sometimes his mama carried packages or people for Master Ben Jacob, but Baby Donkey had not yet had to do any work. He grew older and stronger, but most of his days were spent playing in the sun and being led alongside his mama as she worked, to get him used to wearing a bridle.

One Sunday some men came to Ben Jacob’s house and asked to borrow Baby Donkey for a while. Master Ben Jacob told them that Baby Donkey had not yet learned to carry a rider and only walked at his mother’s side. But they told him: “Jesus has need of this colt.” So Master Ben Jacob sent Baby Donkey and Mama Donkey along with them.

Baby Donkey could hardly believe it! He was actually going to see Jesus, the King! He practically skipped along behind the men, who brought him to Jesus. He was just as Baby Donkey had imagined Him with kindly eyes and a gentle touch. The men who brought Baby Donkey to Him told Him, “Ben Jacob says this colt has never been ridden! You must be very careful or he will throw you off.”

But Jesus looked into Baby Donkey’s eyes and said, “He will carry me.”

Baby Donkey could not have been more pleased and proud! The first rider he was ever to carry would be Jesus the King! He obediently stood while the men put their robes across his back as a saddle for Jesus, who then climbed onto him. With Mama Donkey beside them, they began to walk down the main street of Jerusalem.

Suddenly all around them, people began cheering for Jesus the King! They were waving palm branches in celebration, and throwing their coats into the street for Baby Donkey to tread upon as he carried the King. It was an immense parade, with all of Jerusalem calling out their praise of Jesus the King!

It was just as Grandfather Donkey had said. Jesus had grown up, and He was going to be the King! Baby Donkey was bursting with pride and joy. He held his head up, and the strong hands of Jesus the King petted his mane as he carried Him through the city streets.

“Hosanna!” cried the crowd. “Blessed is He!”

When the ride was over, Jesus slipped off Baby Donkey’s back and said, “Thank you, Baby Donkey. You have carried me just as grandly as your Grandfather once did.”

All that night, Baby Donkey could think of nothing else! Jesus the King knew him and remembered Grandfather, too. Maybe once He was crowned as the King, He would want Baby Donkey in his royal stables.

Baby Donkey was so happy and excited, he did not mind the next day when Master Ben Jacob put some packages on his back and led him, along with Mama Donkey, into the city to do some business. All that week Baby Donkey learned how to be a pack animal. It was hard work, but he was good at it, and he enjoyed getting out to see the city.

By Friday, he was very tired, but some of the men who had brought him to Jesus passed by Master Ben Jacob as he made his way through the city and told him some terrible news: Jesus had been arrested! He was being executed at the Mountain of the Skull!

Ben Jacob rushed to the Mountain of the Skull, and there Baby Donkey saw a terrible sight. Jesus the King had been beaten and nailed to a cross. It was something the government did only to the worst criminals. How could this have happened to Jesus?!

A great crowd stood staring up at Jesus, shouting at Him, but this time they were not praising Him and celebrating His coming. Most of them were jeering Him. They wanted Him dead. Baby Donkey was terrified and sad, too. Now Jesus would never be King. He was going to die on that cross. He looked like He might already be dead.
 
“Ben Jacob, lend me your donkey,” said one of the men in the crowd. “I want to take the body down as soon as I can, and get it in a tomb before sundown.”

The Sabbath would begin at sundown, and by Jewish law, no one could do any work then. If poor Jesus was to have a proper burial, it must happen now. Baby Donkey laid his ears back and bravely stepped up. Maybe he would not see Jesus crowned as King, but at least he would help take him down from that cross and lay his body to rest.

Master Ben Jacob quickly switched the last of the packages from Baby Donkey’s back onto Mama Donkey and gave the other man Baby Donkey’s bridle rope.

“I will get him back from you after the Sabbath,” he said.

The sun was beginning to set. The crowd was hurrying away. Jesus was dead, and they all wanted to get home to their Sabbath meal. Another man helped take Jesus’ body down from the cross, and they laid him carefully over Baby Donkey’s back.

Baby Donkey’s heart was breaking. All his life Grandfather Donkey had told him about Jesus the King, and Baby Donkey had even carried Jesus when the whole city of Jerusalem seemed to be calling out His name. Now He was gone. Just His broken body was left.

Although Jesus was dead, and could not feel pain anymore, Baby Donkey tried to honor Him by walking as smoothly as he could when they led him from the mountain to the graveyard. He remembered how Grandfather Donkey had tried to bear Mary so gently, and now Baby Donkey tried to carry Jesus gently, too.

The man who had borrowed him from Master Ben Jacob placed Jesus’ body in a tomb and put a big stone across the entrance. There were even guards to make sure no one stole the body! Then he took Baby Donkey to his own home and gave him hay and water before the sun went down.

No one could take him home the next day because it was the Sabbath all the way until sundown. He would have to stay another day and night.

Very early on Sunday morning, some ladies came to the house and asked to borrow him for another day. They wanted to go and attend to the body of Jesus, and they had several packages of ointments and cloth for him to carry.

Once again they led Baby Donkey to the graveyard. They left him standing a little way from the tomb as they went to try to roll the stone away so they could prepare the body of Jesus for burial.

He didn’t think they would be able to get into the tomb at all, but just then the earth began to shake — and a shining bright light flashed in their eyes! The huge stone rolled away from the mouth of the tomb!

And there, sitting on top of the stone, was a glorious man dressed all in white, and calling out to the ladies, “Why are you seeking the living among the dead? Jesus isn’t here. He has risen!”

The women stared in wonder at the angel, and tried to see past him into the darkened tomb. But Baby Donkey didn’t look into the tomb. He began looking all around, for his big ears twitched when he heard a soft sound, like a chuckle, like laughter, very nearby.

He tried to follow the sound, and saw, only a few feet away, King Jesus, alive! He was smiling at Baby Donkey and coming toward him. He too was shining, like the angel, as he came near, and reached out to pet Baby Donkey’s head. His hands were warm, He was alive. Baby Donkey was so happy to see King Jesus! He longed to ask the King what had happened, why He had died, how He could be alive again ...

But Jesus said, “Your Grandfather was right to call me a King, but my kingdom is not on this earth, Baby Donkey. It is in the world to come, and in that world, death has no power. Thank you for carrying me yesterday. You’re a wonderful donkey.”

Then the ladies saw Jesus, and a great many things began to happen at once. Baby Donkey was finally sent home to Master Ben Jacob, but all his life he remembered, and one day told his children and grandchildren, of the days that he carried the King.
 
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You may recall an animated film called "The Small One," about the donkey presumed to have carried the Virgin Mary to Bethlehem. That was pretty saccharine; your story is not so saccharine, which is a good thing. What I mean is that sometimes we need to rely on the subject matter to make its own impact, rather than force-feed the reader with our own ooey-goeey sentiments. I think you have succeeded in maintaining the right emotional level--not cold and dry, but not syrupy either.
 
Aww! That was adorable! A sweet and yet very interesting perspective of Christ's life - told in the form of the donkies! I was smiling through most of it and am smiling it now, it seemed so much like something I would tell my sister as a bed time story. Very good story =D!
 
Copperfox said:
You may recall an animated film called "The Small One," about the donkey presumed to have carried the Virgin Mary to Bethlehem. That was pretty saccharine; your story is not so saccharine, which is a good thing. What I mean is that sometimes we need to rely on the subject matter to make its own impact, rather than force-feed the reader with our own ooey-goeey sentiments. I think you have succeeded in maintaining the right emotional level--not cold and dry, but not syrupy either.
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Thanks Joseph! I didn't know there was already a story about the Xmas donkey, but I should have known. I wonder if that makes this one obsolete?
ndfan1993 said:
Aww! That was adorable! A sweet and yet very interesting perspective of Christ's life - told in the form of the donkies! I was smiling through most of it and am smiling it now, it seemed so much like something I would tell my sister as a bed time story. Very good story =D!
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Thank you, that's what I was going for! I was thinking of some cute illustrations of a donkey. :)

Thanks for reading!
 
You know, you could continue this story. Let the young donkey grow up to have a son--and have Saul of Tarsus riding THAT donkey on the Damascus Road.
 
That was a great story, very cute and well done.:) I love how Jesus knew the donkeys and what they were called. And it is a very good Easter/Christmas story.:D

I'm glad you brought the thread back up too because I must've missed it last year.....
 
Copperfox said:
You know, you could continue this story. Let the young donkey grow up to have a son--and have Saul of Tarsus riding THAT donkey on the Damascus Road.
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LOVE IT! Thanks for the idea!
Mozart the Meerkitten said:
That was a great story, very cute and well done.:) I love how Jesus knew the donkeys and what they were called. And it is a very good Easter/Christmas story.:D

I'm glad you brought the thread back up too because I must've missed it last year.....
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Thanks Mozart! I appreciate your reading. :D
 
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