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Hello, my name is Carolyn and I am an Education Officer here at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne.
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We look forward to sharing some stories with you during the school holidays.
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Today, I am going to read Only a Donkey by Celeste Walters with illustrations by Patricia Mullins.
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All the animals were happy at the farm, except the donkey.
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‘You’re useless,’ the dog barked.
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The goat said, ‘You’re weak.’
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‘Donkey’s have ears like wings,’ bleated the sheep.
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And the animals laughed. Especially the bull.
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That night in his stable, the small donkey dreamed.
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He saw himself walking a great open road,
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a road that would lead him past township and village
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to the place in his dreaming where magic would be…
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As soon as the sun rose, the donkey set out.
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‘Donkey, where are you going?’ the animals cried.
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‘To look for the magic,’ the donkey replied.
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‘Wait for us,’ neighed the horse. ‘We must go with him too. He’s only a donkey.
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He’s too muddle headed to be on his own.’
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And the animals laughed. Especially the bull.
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Down the highway they travelled.
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The morning was hot.
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The cow walked behind with the sheep and the goat.
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In the cart it was crowded.
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The dog bit the cat.
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The cat scratched the rooster.
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‘I’m pregnant,’ she spat, ‘and you pecked at my tail.’
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‘’We’re thirsty, we’re tired,’ the animals whined.
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‘Cow give us some milk.’
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But the brown cow replied, ‘My milk’s for my calf.’
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She kicked up the dirt, the dust blinded the goat, who tripped over and fell.
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‘It’s hard to see magic here,’ grumbled the bull.
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Past township and village the animals went.
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Throughout the long morning the horse dragged the cart.
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The cat hissed, ‘Go faster,’ as black feathers flew
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because of a bone that the rooster had found.
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‘There’s no magic anywhere,’ snorted the bull.
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At last they arrived at a wide city street
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with shops and tall buildings, where buses rolled by.
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They came to a park and they crossed on the grass.
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‘But where is the magic?’ the animals cried.
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‘There’s only a statue that’s sitting on stone!’
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They yowled and they growled and they stamped and they spat.
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‘Let’s go,’ moaned the goat. ‘It’s too hot standing here.’
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They went to stomp off, but the donkey said, ‘Wait.’
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The animals turned.
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In silence they listened. In silence they heard a voice from the statue.
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The bronze donkey spoke.
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‘I was a donkey who served in a war
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that was fought long ago in a place far away,
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and many young soldiers who fell would have died,
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expect for one man who just followed his heart.
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At the sound of his voice I was willingly led.
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With his hand on my halter, sure-footed I trod.
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Day and night, back and forth, through smoke and through gunfire we carried the injured and dying to safety.
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Day and night, back and forth, on that rough track in April together we saved over 300 men.
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They’ve said we are heroes,
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we’re seen on medallions
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as symbols of sacrifice, courage and strength.
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He was all of these things, yet he gave me his trust—and I was only a donkey.'
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The animals stood with their heads bending low.
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In silence they moved off.
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The goat limped behind.
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‘Take my place in the cart,’ said the dog. ‘I will walk.’
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‘I think I see magic,’ reflected the bull.
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At the side of the road was a small water trough.
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‘Let the old horse drink too,’ said the cat to the duck.
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‘He has pulled us all day and there’s sweat on his flank.’
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‘I think I see magic again,’ said the bull.
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Up the highway they went in the dust and the heat.
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They stopped for a while in the shade of a tree.
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‘Look here,’ squealed the pig, ‘on the table there’s food!’
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‘Make sure,’ said the sheep, ‘there’s enough for us all.’
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‘I know I see magic now,’ chortled the bull.
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‘The cat’s had her babies,’ the duck quacked with joy.
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The doves hovered over them so they’d be cool.
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And the alpaca hummed, ‘If the kittens get cold they can rest on my wool.’
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‘More and more I see magic,’ decided the bull.
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Up lumbered the cow. ‘If you need more milk, Cat, I have plenty to give.’
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She paused, then she said, ‘And to anyone else who is thirsty as well.’
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‘More and more I see magic,’ repeated the bull.
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Then, ‘Wait!’ the bull roared.
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All the animals stopped as he clumped to the front.
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‘You are worn out, Old Horse, move aside and I’ll pull.
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The smallest among us can ride on my back,
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make room in the cart for the ones who have walked.’
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‘Now we all can see magic,’ the animals sang.
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That night in his stable the small donkey heard,
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‘Good night, pleasant dreams,’ and, ’Sleep safely, my friend.’
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He closed both his eyes. He fell fast asleep.
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And all the animals were happy at the farm—especially the donkey.
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Thank you for sharing Storytime with us.
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