LIttle Donkey
Little Donkey
The picture of the two donkeys isn’t because we are practising for a Nativity scene, but from our recent trekking expedition near Carcassonne. The donkeys are Bamboo, the bay and Ballotte the black and they were hired from a donkey refuge to take us rambling. We were inspired by that great writer Robert Louis Stevenson and his early work Travels with a Donkey in the Cévennes. The writings tell of RLS’s twelve day trek through the area not so very far from where we were hiking. He travelled 120 miles or 200 km on his trip through the Cévennes mountains in south-central France in 1878. We journeyed a mere 14 kilometres. Stevenson said the area reminded him of his own country. The rocky heather filled hillsides are like parts of Scotland, but fewer midges perhaps! We had plenty of flies though; because flies love donkeys and donkeys hate flies.
Stevenson had many problems with his donkey, because well, you’ve no doubt heard the expression “as stubborn as a mule?” And because of course mules are the offspring of a donkey and a horse , donkeys are almost as stubborn. But as well as stubborn they are loveable, patient and very, very strong. Madame’s last words to us were, “make sure they know whose boss.” We did and they were no doubt the boss for at least the first half of the trek. It’s been a very dry hot summer in Caunes-Minervois and the animals have been on dry hay for weeks since all the pasture wilted and died. So when they got on the open rod which was filled with autumn snacks, flowers, grasses, bamboo and shrubs they headed like guided missiles for the tasty green stuff. I was twice in a ditch in the first five minutes. But we gradually became accustomed to one another. Ballotte was only a young donkey, 8 or 9 so he didn’t have to carry anything, but Bamboo a rowdy 14 year year old who carried all our picnic stuff and plenty of wine. He was pretty frisky too, after filling up on all this fresh green stuff. It didn’t help that we got the directions a bit wrong and headed into a large village with the donkeys causing some consternation with the locals having their Sunday brunch , making cars slow to a completely un-French speed and at one point forcing a large Frenchman back into his house as Bamboo filled his doorway, threatening to join the man’s family meal inside.
Our picnic destination was a very pleasant grove but the trestle tables for the lunch were up some steps. Ballotte climbed nimbly up, because he is a Pyrenean donkey, but Bamboo refused. We tried carrots, carrot tops and an apple, but Bamboo wouldn’t budge despite me pushing his very large rump. So we gave up and at that point Ballotte unhitched himself and joined a bunch of French kids at the tables enjoying their food. Donkeys are always hungry according to Madame, just like me says the missus! We therefore stayed at the bottom by a small stream and picnicked on the rocks while the donkeys ate all the treats we had bought at the market the previous day. The FaceBook page for the sanctuary is here and you can see our four legged friends. https://fr-fr.facebook.com/refugedesanesetmules/
And if like me you love the wonders of nature you’ll appreciate our October Owl Offers that celebrate the animal kingdom and help you save a few bob too. Have a look at the 20% of owl offers and get yourself or someone you love a piece of everyday art like this bronze Barn Owl. The hawthorn leaves and berries are delicately hand painted and the bronze is aged by acids. It’s an instant heirloom and a veritable thing of beauty.
