The Donkey and the Goat

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22142, 22 June 1935, Page 5 (Supplement)

The Donkey and the Goat

By E. A. BUTT

This is a true story and the

On a typical Waikato dairy farm gup seldom sees animals other than cows, perhaps a few sheep and a dog or two, but on a farm at Rototuna, five miles north of Hamilton, there were to be seen cattle, sheep, dogs, a donkey, goats, geese, turkeys, ducks and fowls. Fruit trees were also grown. The former owner was Mr. F. Primmer, who had a great love for animals. He gave the animals the run of the farm. The donkey and the goat were great friends and inseparable companions. One day Mr. Primmer noticed that the ripening apples on one of the trees in the orchard were disappearing in a mysteri-

ous fashion. At first he suspected the boys of the neighbourhood, but on making inquiries he established their innocence. One day he caught the culprits in the act. He saw the donkey and the goat approach the tree together, and from a concealed position he watched them. The donkey went up to the tree and planted bis feet firmly on the ground immediately below a branch on which there were a number of apples. The goat stood off', appeared to measure the distance between itself and the donkey, and at five feet it leapt on to the donkey's back. Standing on its hind legs the goat caught its fore feet in two branches to steady itsell and bit off the apples. Sometimes an apple fell. Tf it rested within reach of the donkey's mouth it was picked up by the donkey. But if it fell beyond reach the donkey did not move its feet, but waited until the goat came down. The goat remained in its position on its companion's back until it had satisfied its appetite. Mr. Primmer was greatly interested in the performance. His friends were

STOLEN APPLES

photograph a genuine one.

sceptical when he described what he had seen. Visitors came out to the farm and were often fortunate in witnessing a repetition of tbe spectacle. A Hamilton photographer, Mr. J. F. Louden, went out to the farm on chance, and was lucky enough to have the opportunity of snapping the donkey and the goat in the act. The photograph, which is reproduced on this page, has caused widespread interest. It has been published in newspapers in New Zealand, Australia, England and Scotland, it was first published in The Wef.kxt Nf.ws. A few weeks ago the ladies of St. Andrew's Church. Hamilton, had a croup photocraph

taken by Mr. Louden and forwarded it with a friendly greeting to the ladies of St. Andrew's Church, Glasgow. At the same time the Glasgow ladies forwarded a clipping from the Glasgow Evening News containing a reproduction of the donkey and the goat. The senders described the picture as the most interesting thing they had ever seen. They did not know then, but they hare since been informed, that the two pictures were taken by the same photographer. The goat and the donkey were for a considerable time the source of endless interest to visitors. On one ! occasion the goat could not be found for a long time, but eventually it was located on the top of a visitor's car, with its two feet caught in the broken hood. The end of the story is a sad one. The farm was recently sold as a going concern, the new owner taking over the property and the stock, including the donkey "and the goat. The fruit trees were cut down, and the goat, being regarded as a nuisance by the new owner, I was destroyed. The donkey is still on j the farm.