WHITE DONKEY ADOPTS A BLACK STRANGER

Evening Star, Issue 21718, 12 May 1934, Page 5

WHITE DONKEY ADOPTS A BLACK STRANGER

Here is a true story of a white donkey named Manon, whose owner had font her to a painter at Cartigny, in Switzerland, as part of his studio property. The painter housed her in a nearby stable, which she has to share with sonie sheep and some goats. Not long after Manon’s arrival one of the sheep had two lambs, one so black and tiny that the mother refused to have anything to do with it, persistently pushing it roughly away. Babette, the young woman owner of the sbeepfold, determined to try to save the life of this feeble, unwanted little black thing. She placed it in a big box in a corner of the stable and began feeding it from a bottle, while Manon looked on with an air of grave concern. The next morning Babette, on going to feed her charge, was amazed to find the box at the other end of the stable, over by Manon’s stall. It was upset and empty, and the black lamb was asleep on the straw between the donkey’s feet. No other explanation was possible than that the white donkey, attracted by the poor little black lamb, had dragged the box across the floor with her teeth, and gently pushed it over so as to upset the lamb on her own bed of straw. Then she had settled down beside it, keeping it snug and warm. When Babette entered the lamb was being busily licked clean by Manon, while jealous eyes were on guard against any interference. As long as the lamb remained weak and helpless Manon refused to leave the stable, evidently fearing abduction in her absence; and now that the lamb has become strong and active it refuses to leave Manon. They wander about the meadow together, while the white donkey, with maternal anxiety, points out with soft, velvety muzzle the choicest bits of grass and plants to her small black companion.