Donkey ChildDonkey Child

Lindiwe Matshikiza Meghan Judge English Level 3

(imageless edition)

It was a little girl who first saw themysterious shape in the distance.

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As the shape moved closer, she sawthat it was a heavily pregnant woman.

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Shy but brave, the little girl movednearer to the woman. “We must keepher with us,” the little girl’s peopledecided. “We’ll keep her and her childsafe.”

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The child was soon on its way. “Push!”“Bring blankets!” “Water!”“Puuuuussssshhh!!!”

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But when they saw the baby, everyonejumped back in shock. “A donkey?!”

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Everyone began to argue. “We said wewould keep mother and child safe, andthat’s what we’ll do,” said some. “Butthey will bring us bad luck!” saidothers.

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And so the woman found herself aloneagain. She wondered what to do withthis awkward child. She wondered whatto do with herself.

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But finally she had to accept that hewas her child and she was his mother.

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Now, if the child had stayed that same,small size, everything might have beendifferent. But the donkey child grewand grew until he could no longer fit onhis mother’s back. And no matter howhard he tried, he could not behave likea human being. His mother was oftentired and frustrated. Sometimes shemade him do work meant for animals.

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Confusion and anger built up insideDonkey. He couldn’t do this and hecouldn’t do that. He couldn’t be likethis and he couldn’t be like that. Hebecame so angry that, one day, hekicked his mother to the ground.

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Donkey was filled with shame. Hestarted to run away as far and fast ashe could.

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By the time he stopped running, it wasnight, and Donkey was lost. “Heehaw?” he whispered to the darkness.“Hee Haw?” it echoed back. He wasalone. Curling himself into a tight ball,he fell into a deep and troubled sleep.

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Donkey woke up to find a strange oldman staring down at him. He lookedinto the old man’s eyes and started tofeel a twinkle of hope.

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Donkey went to stay with the old man,who taught him many different ways tosurvive. Donkey listened and learned,and so did the old man. They helpedeach other, and they laughed together.

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One morning, the old man askedDonkey to carry him to the top of amountain.

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High up amongst the clouds they fellasleep. Donkey dreamed that hismother was sick and calling to him. Andwhen he woke up…

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… the clouds had disappeared alongwith his friend, the old man.

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Donkey finally knew what to do.

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Donkey found his mother, alone andmourning her lost child. They stared ateach other for a long time. And thenhugged each other very hard.

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The donkey child and his mother havegrown together and found many waysof living side by side. Slowly, all aroundthem, other families have started tosettle.

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Storybooks CanadaStorybooks Canadastorybookscanada.ca

Donkey ChildDonkey ChildWritten by: Lindiwe MatshikizaIllustrated by: Meghan Judge

This story originates from the African Storybook (africanstorybook.org) andis brought to you by Storybooks Canada in an effort to provide children’sstories in Canada’s many languages.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.