Little Donkey: an Everyday Story of Country Folk

Goodness.  Who’d be a British citizen at the moment? We’re in need of good cheer.  And I’ve found some, in a post I wrote from Laroque in November, seven years ago.  Times were much simpler then …. read on.

Little Donkey:  An Everyday Story of Country Folk: November 26th 2011

Every now and then, in among all the banns of marriage and planning notices on the information board at the town hall here in Laroque, there’s a poster about a stray dog that’s been found.  Not cats or hamsters. Just dogs.

Last week, though, my eye was caught by this:How does anyone lose a donkey?  And what do you do with it whilst you put out an appeal for the owner?  ‘Oh he’s fine’, said Thierry, our Community Copper, ‘We’ve put him to work in the office in the Mairie’.  I decided against saying the obvious, that he would be bound to be doing a far better job than the Mayor.

Image from Unsplash.

It took a week for his owner to show up.  He – the donkey that is – had an exciting time.  First of all he was rounded up by the three blokes who first spotted him in the road just outside town, but who had no idea how to set about the job.  Then he was frisked for tattoos or identity chips.  None.  Next he was sent to stay with our friend Henri’s donkeys (Thierry was fibbing about the office work).  That had to stop when Henri’s female donkey got all excited at the new arrival and came on heat.  Then he went to stay with the vet’s partner.  He escaped.  Amateur detectives all over Laroque and Lavelanet tried to find out where he came from.  Eventually, after a week, his owner showed up, really rather cross.  ‘Why didn’t anyone think to get in touch with me?’

There we are.  That’s our excitement for November over.

Image from Unsplash.

For non-British readers: Little Donkey is a Christmas song much favoured by UK muzak producers at this time of year.  One reason to avoid shopping there during November and December.  Whereas ‘an everyday day story of country folk’ is ‘The Archers’, a daily radio soap opera full of story lines such as the one above.  It’s been a permanent part of the BBC schedules since 1951.  You could join the fan club.

Author: margaret21

I'm retired and live in North Yorkshire, where I walk , write, volunteer and travel as often as I can.

17 thoughts on “Little Donkey: an Everyday Story of Country Folk”

  3. Enjoyed this post as I take a break from reading about the Brexit withdrawal draft document and related goings on. So this good cheer very welcome. There is something very endearing about donkeys even though they can be quite feisty, and escape artists too it seems!

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    1. Ah! We’ve been campaigning today and the mood among the public has changed. People are wanting to know how they can help Stop Brexit. This hasn’t happened before. We need a feisty donkey to help us. People say we are being led by donkeys but that’s grossly unfair … to donkeys.

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  4. Nothing like an ass to brighten things up. Or at least the right kind of ass (and we have toooooo many of the wrong kind, right now. Am I right?) This is a great story–so glad you gave it a reprise!

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  6. What is it about donkeys – even with that large set of gnashers they are so loveable. And, great pictures such a welcome antidote to the Brexit shenanigans. It just goes on and on doesn’t it? I read on Twitter that folks around the world are watching this like a Netflix drama with the season finale imminent.

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