Adventures of a Donkey

CADICHON, THE DONKEY, SPEAKS!!

THE Adventures of a Donkey FROM THE FRENCH OF Mme. LA COMTESSE DE SÉGUR. BY P. S., A GRADUATE OF ST. JOSEPH’S, EMMITTSBURG, MD.

ILLUSTRATED.

BALTIMORE: PUBLISHED BY JOHN B. PIET, No. 174 West Baltimore Street, 1881.

Copyright, John B. Piet, 1880.

Press of John B. Piet, Baltimore.

TO MY LITTLE MASTER, M. Henri de Ségur.

My little master, you have been good to me, but you have spoken contemptuously of donkeys in general. To make you better acquainted with them, I write and offer you this story of my adventures, from which you will learn, my dear little master, how I, a poor donkey, and my very many donkey friends, have been and are still unjustly treated by men. You will see that we have much intelligence and many excellent qualities; you will also see how wicked I was in my youth, that I was severely punished for it, and how repentance changed me and restored to me the friendship of my comrades and masters. In fine, you will perceive on reading this book, that instead of saying “as stupid as a donkey, as ignorant as a donkey, as headstrong as a donkey,” one should say, “as intelligent as a donkey, as learned as a donkey, as docile as a donkey,” and that you and your kindred might well be proud of these eulogiums.

Hi! han! my good master, I hope no period of your life may resemble the early years of your faithful servant,

CADICHON, THE LEARNED DONKEY.

Adventures of a Donkey.

I do not remember my infancy; I was probably unhappy, like all infant donkeys, pretty and graceful as we all are. I was certainly very intelligent, since, even at my present time of life, being now somewhat advanced in years, my mental endowments are far superior to those of my comrades. More than once did I outwit my poor masters, who were but men, and who, consequently, could not be expected to possess the intelligence of a donkey.

I shall begin these Adventures by relating one of the tricks I played upon them in my youth.

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

[Pg 1]

The Adventures of a Donkey.

I. THE MARKET.

Men not being supposed to be aware of all that donkeys know, you, who read this book, are doubtless ignorant of what is well known to all my donkey friends, namely: that every Tuesday in the town of Laigle there is held a market, where vegetables, butter, eggs, cheese and other excellent things are sold. This Tuesday is a day of torture for my poor comrades; it was so for me before I was bought by my present good old mistress, your grandmother. I belonged to a farmer’s wife, exacting and cruel. Just imagine, my dear little master, that she carried her malice so far as to collect all the eggs her hens laid, all the butter and cheese from her cows’ milk, all the vegetables and fruits that ripened during the week, to fill baskets which she placed upon my back.

And when I was so heavily laden that I could scarcely move, this wicked woman seated herself upon the baskets and obliged me to trot thus burdened, overwhelmed, indeed, to the market of Laigle, a league from the farm. I was all this time in a rage I dared not show, [Pg 2]for fear of the stick my mistress carried, a very big one full of knots, that hurt sorely when she beat me. Whenever I saw or heard these preparations for market, I sighed, I groaned, I ever brayed, in hopes of softening the hearts of my owners.

“Shut your mouth, great idle thing,” said they, coming to get me, “shut your mouth, and do not deafen us with your coarse, horrid voice. Hi! han! hi! han! that is beautiful music you are giving us! Edward, my boy, bring this lazy beast up to the door whilst your mother puts the load on his back. Here is a basket of eggs—one more! The cheese—the butter!—now the vegetables. That’s right! Here is a fine load, that is going to bring us several five franc pieces. Mary, my daughter, [Pg 3]bring a chair for your mother to mount the donkey. Good-bye, a pleasant trip, wife, and make this lazy beast move. Hold on, here is your stick, hit him with it.”

Pan! Pan!

“That’s right, a few more caresses of that kind and he’ll go.”

Vlan! Vlan! The stick never ceased to belabor my sides, my legs, my neck; I trotted, I almost galloped, yet the woman still beat me. I was indignant at so much injustice and cruelty; I tried to kick and throw her off, but I was too heavily burdened; I could only start and sway from side to side, thus affording myself the satisfaction of feeling her slipping down. “Wicked donkey! stupid animal! headstrong creature!” said she, “I am going to teach you better, I’ll let you feel the weight of my stick.”

And indeed, she beat me so I could scarcely reach the town. We arrived at last. All the baskets were lifted off my poor skinned back and placed on the ground. My mistress having tied me to a post, went to breakfast, whilst I, who was dying of hunger and thirst, got not a sprig of grass, or a drop of water. I found means of getting close to the vegetables during her absence and refreshed myself by filling my stomach with a basket of salad and cabbage. I had never eaten anything so good in my life, but just as I was finishing the last cabbage and the last salad, my mistress returned. She uttered a scream on seeing her basket empty; I regarded her with such a satisfied insolent air, that she immediately recognized [Pg 4]me as the author of her loss. I shall not repeat to you the names she called me. She was very high-tempered, and when in a rage, she swore and said things that made me blush, donkey as I am. Having loaded me with the most humiliating reproaches, to which I made no reply, except by licking my lips and turning my back upon her, she took her stick and began to beat me so

cruelly, that I, at last, lost all patience, and launched at her three kicks, the first of which broke her nose and two teeth; the second, her wrist, and the third, striking her in the stomach, knocked her over. Twenty persons rushed upon me, overwhelming me with blows and vile words. They carried my mistress off, I know not where, and left me attached to the post, near which the marketing I had brought was displayed. Here I remained a long time; seeing that no one thought of me, I ate a second basket of excellent vegetables, and cutting with my teeth the cord that held me, I quietly took the road home.

Every one I passed on the way seemed astonished at seeing me alone.

[Pg 5]

“Look, there is a donkey with a broken strap! He has escaped,” said one.

“It must be a fugitive from the galleys,” said another. And they all began to laugh.

“He doesn’t carry a heavy load on his back,” remarked a third.

“Very true,” exclaimed a youth, “he has been at some mischief.”

“Catch him, husband,” said a woman, “let us put the little one in the saddle.”

“He will carry you as well as the little boy,” replied the husband.

Wishing to give them a good opinion of my gentleness and condescension, I very quietly approached the woman and stopped to let her mount.

“He doesn’t seem at all vicious,” said the man, helping his wife into the saddle.

[Pg 6]

I smiled with pity at hearing this. Vicious! as if a donkey kindly treated was ever vicious! We become ill-tempered, disobedient, headstrong, only in retaliation for the blows and foul names heaped upon us. When properly treated, we are good-natured—much better in this respect than other animals.

I carried the wife and child home. The latter was a pretty little boy about two years old, who caressed me fondly, thought me charming, and wanted to keep me altogether. But I reflected that this would not be honest; my masters had bought me, I belonged to them. I had already revenged myself upon my mistress by breaking her nose, teeth, and wrist, and giving her a good kick in the stomach. Seeing, then, that the mother would yield to the little boy, whom she spoiled (I soon perceived this whilst they were on my back), I jumped to one side, and before the mother could seize my bridle, was off in a gallop towards home.

Mary, my master’s daughter, saw me first.

“Oh! there is Cadichon. How early he has returned. Here, Edward, come take off his saddle.”

“Wicked creature,” said Edward, in an angry tone, “one has always to be bothered with you. But why has he returned alone? I’ll bet he has run away. Vile beast!” he added, kicking me on the leg, “if I knew you had escaped, I would give you a hundred licks of the stick!”

Once rid of my saddle and bridle, I went off galloping. Scarcely had I entered the pasture when I heard loud cries proceeding from the house. Approaching the [Pg 7]hedge, I saw that the farmer’s wife had been brought home, and I recognized the screams as those of the children. I listened most intently, and heard Edward say to his father:

“Father, I am going to tie him to a tree, and take the big wagon, whip and beat him till he falls to the ground!”

“Very well, my son, go, but do not kill him, for we would lose what he cost us. I shall sell him at the next fair.”

I trembled with fright on hearing these words, and on seeing Edward run to the stable for the whip. There was no time for hesitation, and without any scruple now as to defrauding my owner of what he had paid for me, I ran towards the hedge separating me from the fields, and dashed against it with such force, that I broke the branches and made my way through. I ran at full speed through the field, and I continued to gallop a very long time, believing myself pursued. At last, unable to go farther, I stopped; I listened, but heard nothing. I mounted a slight eminence, I saw no one. Then I began to breathe freely, and rejoice at having delivered myself from these wicked farmers.

But I now commenced to wonder what would become of me. If I remained where was, I would be discovered, recognized and taken back to my master’s. What should I do? where should I go?

I looked around, and finding myself solitary and unhappy, I was about to shed tears over my sad fate, when I perceived that I was on the edge of a magnificent woods, it was the forest of St. Evroult.

[Pg 8]

“What good luck!” I exclaimed, “In this forest I shall find tender herbage, water, fresh moss; I shall remain here a few days, and then go to another forest, farther, much farther from my master’s farm.”

I entered the forest; I ate with delight the tender grass and I drank the water from a beautiful spring. Towards night, I lay down on the moss at the foot of an old pine, and there slept peacefully till morning.

II. THE PURSUIT.

The next morning after eating and drinking, I thought over my happiness.

“Here,” said I, “they can never find me, I am saved. In two days, however, when I shall have rested from my fatigue, I will go still farther.”

Scarcely was this reflection finished, when I heard the distant barking of a dog, then of another, and in a few minutes I distinguished the sound of a whole pack of hounds. Anxious, and even somewhat frightened, I arose and went towards a little stream that I had noticed in the morning. Scarcely had I done so, ere I heard Edward saying to the dogs:

“Come, come, dogs, seek him well, find me this wicked donkey, bite him, tear his legs to pieces and bring him to me, that I may lay my whip on his back.”

[Pg 9]

[Pg 11]

I nearly sank to the ground from fright; but suddenly remembering that I could throw the dogs off my track by walking in the water, I ran at once to the stream, which fortunately was bordered on both sides with very thick bushes. I walked a very long time without stopping; the barking of the dogs died away in the distance, as well as the voice of the wicked Edward.

Breathless and exhausted I stopped an instant to drink, and I ate a few leaves from the bushes. My legs were stiff with cold, but I dared not quit the water, for fear the dogs might return and get upon my trail. When somewhat rested I began to run, following the stream all the while, until I was out of the forest. I then found myself in a vast meadow, where cows and oxen (over fifty in number) were pasturing. They took no notice of me, so I lay down in the sun to rest in a corner of the field.

Towards evening two men entered the meadow.

“Brother,” said the tallest of the two, “shall we not bring up the cattle to-night? they say there are wolves in the woods.”

“Wolves! who told you that nonsense?”

“The Aigle folks. They tell how a donkey from the hedge farm was carried off and devoured in the forest.”

“Bah! let it go, the people of that farm are so cruel, they have beaten their donkey to death.”

“Why, then, would they say the wolves devoured it?”

“Because it is not known that they killed it.”

“Even so, it would be better to bring in the cattle.”

“Do as you wish, brother, I leave it to you.”

[Pg 12]

I did not stir in my corner, for fear of being discovered. The grass was high and concealed me entirely, the cattle did not pass near me, but were driven towards the gate and thence to their masters’ farm.

I had no fear of wolves, for I was the very donkey of whom the men spoke; and in the forest where I had passed the night, I had not seen even a wolf’s trail. So I slept delightfully, and was finishing my breakfast when the cattle re-entered the field, led by two big dogs.

Whilst I was quietly looking at them, one of the dogs perceived me, and barking fiercely, ran at me, followed by his companion. What would become of me? how should I escape them? I rushed against the fence enclosing the meadow; the stream I had followed crossed the lot, and I was fortunate enough to clear this stream, also to hear the voice of one of the men I had seen the evening before, calling back his dogs. I quietly continued my walk until I had reached another forest, the name of which I did not know. I must now have been more than ten leagues from the hedge farm; consequently I was safe, no one knew me, and I could show myself without fear of being taken back to my former owners.

[Pg 13]

III. THE NEW MASTERS.

I lived peacefully in this forest one month. Sometimes I felt a little lonesome, but I preferred solitude to misery. I was then tolerably happy, when I began to perceive that the grass was getting scarce and dry, the leaves falling, the water freezing, the ground growing damp.

“Alas! alas!” thought I, “what is to become of me? If I stay here I shall perish of cold, of hunger and thirst, but where shall I go? who is there that wants me?”

By dint of reflection, I devised a means of securing shelter. Leaving the forest, I went to a little village near by. There I saw a small, neat looking, isolated house, and a good woman seated at the door spinning. I was touched with her sad, gentle appearance; I approached her and put my head upon her shoulder. Much startled, the good woman uttered a scream and jumped up from her chair. I did not stir, but regarded her with a pitiful, supplicating air.

“Poor beast!” said she, at length, “you do not look wicked. If no one owned you, I would be very much pleased to have you supply the place of my poor old Grison, who died of old age. I could then continue to [Pg 14]make my living selling my vegetables at the market. But, no doubt, you have a master,” she added, sighing.

“To whom are you talking, grandmother?” said a soft voice from the inside of the house.

“I am talking to a donkey that has come here and put his head on my shoulder, and he looks at me so pitifully that I haven’t the heart to drive him away.”

“Let me see! let me see!” answered the soft voice. And immediately there appeared on the threshold a handsome little boy six or seven years of age, neatly but poorly clad. He looked at me with a curious, half timid air.

“May I pet him, grandmother?” said he.

“Certainly, my George, but take care that he does not bite you.”

The little boy extended his arm, and not being able to reach me, he advanced a step, then another, and began to smooth my back.

I did not stir for fear of frightening him; I only turned my head towards him, and passed my tongue over his hand.

“Grandmother, grandmother, this poor donkey is so good-natured, he has licked my hand.”

“It is very strange that he should be alone. Where is his master? Go, George, to the village inn, where travelers stop, and make inquiries about him. His master is probably worried about him.”

“Shall I take the donkey, grandmother?”

“He will not follow you; let him go where he wishes.”

[Pg 15]

George started off in a run; I trotted after him. When he saw that I followed, he came to me, and petting me, said: “Say then, my pretty donkey, since you follow me, you will surely let me ride you.” And he mounted at once, exclaiming as he did so, “get up!” I went off in a little gallop, which enchanted him. “Ho! ho!” said he before the inn, I stopped immediately, and George dismounted. I remained opposite the door, not stirring any more than if I had been tied.

“What is it, my boy?” said the inn-keeper.

“I came to know, Mr. Duval, if this donkey at the door belongs to you or any of your customers?”

Mr. Duval came to the door and regarded me attentively. “No, my boy,” said he, “it is not mine, nor that of any one I know. You will have to inquire further.”

George remounted, and setting off again in a gallop, we went from house to house, inquiring for my owner. No one knew me, and we returned to the good grandmother, who was still sitting in the door spinning.

“Grandmother, the donkey belongs to no one about here. What are we to do with him? He keeps close to me, but he jumps away when anybody else tries to touch him.”

“In that case, my George, we must not let him stay out-doors all night; something might happen to him. Lead him to our poor Grison’s stable, give him a bundle of hay and a bucket of water. We can take him to market to-morrow, and perhaps we may find his master.”

“And if we do not find him, grandmother?”

[Pg 16]

“We will keep the donkey till some one claims him. We could not let the poor beast perish of cold this winter, or fall into the hands of wicked people who would beat him, or cause his death from fatigue and hard treatment.”

After giving me food and water, George caressed me and went out, saying, as he shut the door:

“How I hope he has no master, so he may stay with us.”

Next day, having given me my breakfast, George put a halter on my neck and led me up to the door; the grandmother next placed a very light pack-saddle on my back and seated herself upon it. George then brought a little basket of vegetables, which she took upon her knees, and we set out for the market of Mamers. The good woman sold her vegetables at a fair price, no one recognized me, and I returned with my new mistress.

I lived there four years; I was happy, injuring no one and making myself very useful, for I loved my little master, who never beat me, never worked me to death and always fed me well. However, I was no glutton; in summer, remnants of vegetables and the herbs which neither the horses nor cows ate; in winter a little hay and the skins of potatoes, carrots and turnips, satisfied my wants, as is the case with other donkeys.

There were some days I did not enjoy, those on which my mistress hired me to the children in the neighborhood. Being poor, and not always having enough work to keep me busy, she was very glad to make a little something by hiring me to the children of the castle near by.

They were not always good children.

Listen to what happened on one of these excursions.

[Pg 17]

IV. THE BRIDGE.

There were six donkeys drawn up in the yard; I was one of the handsomest and strongest of the number. Three little girls brought us oats in a bucket. Whilst eating I listened to the children’s conversation.

“Come,” said Charles, “let us choose our donkeys, as for myself, I take that one,” pointing to me with his finger.

“You always take the best,” answered the five children at once, “we must draw lots.”