Legend of the Donkey's Cross

Our donkeys have a defined black cross on their back. Here is the story behind the cross.

Legend of the Donkey's Cross

A poor farmer near Jerusalem owned a donkey far too small to do much work at all. He felt that he couldn't afford to feed a worthless animal like this, one that could do him no good whatsoever, so at the supper table he told his family that he was going to kill the donkey.

His children, who loved the little donkey, begged him to sell it rather than harm it. But the farmer said, "It's wrong to sell an animal that can't do a good day's work."

Then his oldest daughter suggested, "Father, tie the donkey to a tree on the road to town, and say whoever wants it may take it for nothing." And the next morning, that's what the farmer did.

Soon, two men approached and asked if they could have the donkey. "It can carry almost nothing," the farmer warned them.

"Jesus of Nazareth has need of it," replied one of the men. The farmer couldn't imagine what a great teacher would want with such a useless donkey, but he handed it over.

The men took the animal to Jesus, who stroked the grateful donkey's face and then mounted it and rode away. So it was that on the day we call Palm Sunday, Jesus led his followers into the city of Jerusalem riding on the back of a small, common donkey.

The donkey so loved his gentle master that he later followed him to Calvary. Grief-stricken by the sight of Jesus on the cross, the donkey turned away but couldn't leave. It was then that the shadow of the cross fell upon the shoulders and back of the donkey, and there it stayed. All donkeys have borne the sign of the cross on their backs since that very day.

\My donkey Brownie and his cross.

I don't know if this story is true or not, but when I look into the eyes of these sweet animals, I remember the story and love them all the more. My little donkeys, with their big ears and beautiful eyes, bear the cross of my Lord and Saviour. And that is enough for me.