Chapter 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.

I.—THE MARKET, 1

II.—THE PURSUIT, 8

III.—THE NEW MASTERS, 13

IV.—THE BRIDGE, 17

V.—THE CEMETERY, 24

VI.—THE HIDING PLACE, 32

VII.—THE LOCKET, 40

VIII.—THE FIRE, 46

IX.—THE DONKEY RACE, 53

X.—GOOD MASTERS, 66

XI.—CADICHON SICK, 75

XII.—THE ROBBERS, 78

XIII.—THE VAULTS, 86

XIV.—THERESA, 94

XV.—THE GUNNING PARTY, 111

XVI.—MEDOR, 122

XVII.—THE SCHOOL CHILDREN, 132

XVIII.—THE BAPTISM, 138

XIX.—THE LEARNED DONKEY, 147

XX.—THE FROG, 164

XXI.—THE PONY, 168

XXII.—THE PUNISHMENT, 180

XXIII.—THE REFORMATION, 194

XXIV.—THE ROBBERS, 218

XXV.—THE REPARATION, 239

XXVI.—THE BOAT, 254

Conclusion 272

THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY.