Donkey

Donkeys are a type of domestic animal typically used as a beast of burden.

## Cultural Perspectives

In Ancient Egypt, the image of the donkey was traced on cakes offered to Set.

The Romans considered encounters with donkeys to be bad omens.

Donkeys were honoured in Arabia.

Donkey heads were used in the form of divination known as kephalomancy.

In the Feast of the Ass, the black cross carried by the donkey is linked to the she-ass of Bethphage.

The Cavaravadouks of Maduri, India believe themselves to be descended from donkeys, and treat those they encounter as family. They will defend them and take legal action against those they see abusing them. When it rains, they will offer shelter to donkeys, and only their driver if the driver doesn't meet certain conditions.

## Myths

In Greco-Roman mythology, right after Jupiter became the ruler of the world, the humans asked him for a spring that would grant them eternal life, which Zeus granted them. Silenus' donkey was charged with bringing the spring to Earth. On the way he got thirsty and went to a fountain to drink. The fountain was guarded by a snake, who would only allow the donkey to drink if the donkey gave it the spring, which the donkey did. Since then, snakes shed their skin to rejuvenate themselves.

In the Rabbinical tradition, God created Balaam's she-ass at the end of the sixth day of creation. Abraham used it to transport wood for the sacrifice of Isaac. It later carried the wife and son of Moses in the desert. It is said to be being carefully looked after in a secret location until the return of the Messiah, who will ride it to conquer the earth.

## Intelligent Donkeys

De Plancy records that, in a village roughly 3km from Cairo, a performer had a donkey who he had trained to the point that people thought it a disguised demon. He would start by having the donkey dance. He would then say that the sultan wanted the donkeys for construction work, at which it would play dead, at which point the man would ask the audience for money to buy a new donkey (food for the donkey when it then revealed itself to be alive). He would then say that the sultan was going to have a spectacle put on for the people outside Cairo, and that all the noblewomen were to sit on donkeys while watching, which would cause the donkey to become happy. He would then say that the district governor had asked to borrow his donkey for his ugly wife, which would cause the donkey to pretend to be lame.

De Plancy says that demonologists determined donkeys of this sort of intelligence to be either disguised demons, or humans who had been transformed into donkeys, such as Apuleius.

According to the *Speculum Naturae*, two witches ran an inn near Rome, where they would transform their guests into animals before selling them at the market. One of them turned a comedian into a donkey, and he retained his comedic skill in his new form. She took him to a number for nearby fairs, earning lots of money. She then sold him to a neighbour for a high price, telling him not to let the donkey enter water. The donkey escaped one day and entered a lake, returning to its human form. The neighbour than took the witches to trial, where they were punished.

## Further Reading

* Africanus, L. *Concerning Africa*
* Saint-Foix, *Essay on Paris*

## See Also

* Borak
* Kephalomancy

## References

1. ↑ de Plancy, J. C., (1863). *Dictionnaire Infernal*. 6ed. pg.32
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9 de Plancy, J. C., (1863). *Dictionnaire Infernal*. 6ed. pg.33