carrie gaskin

The Donkey and Her Girl

The Donkey and her Girl She came from up north, Bolagatanga. Dad saw her wandering with her mother, and bought her to bring home in the landrover. He got in late, covered in red dust, and left her in the back of the car until morning. We knew, and prowled around at first light, peering in the windows until she cried out in her big lonely voice. We were trying not to wake our exhausted father, but he couldn’t sleep through that. Besides, he didn’t want any more urine in the car. So he got up, opened the dusty back door and half lifted out this young, frightened grey donkey, to whom I became passionately attached, immediately. Warding off the attentions of the younger children, putting a rope collar around her neck, and running to fetch a bucket of water, we named her Susannah, and started the long journey of learning to care for a member of the equine race.