The Little White Donkey

Once there was a little white donkey who lived with her mother in the village of Bethphage, not far from the gates of the great city of Jerusalem

Her mother, an ordinary brown donkey, worked hard grinding corn for the miller, walking around and around in a circle, pulling the heavy millstone.

But the little white donkey was much too young to work, so she would watch the road as she followed her mother and dream about the great things she would do when she was older. Both her mother and the miller had told her that as a white donkey, she was very special. The miller would not let her carry any loads, for he had plans to sell her for a great deal of money. It was rare that a white donkey was born.

So the little white donkey watched the road leading to Jerusalem and dreamed about what she would be when she was grown. Once she saw families laughing and singing, coming to the great city to celebrate the Passover. With them were strong mules, carrying food and clothes for their journey.

The little donkey ran to her mother and cried out, “When I grow up, I want to be a strong mule, surrounded by happy families, rejoicing to come to Jerusalem.”

The mother smiled patiently as she pulled her load, “Who knows, my little one, what your role will be. You are a little white donkey, and you will follow the path for you.”

The mother was very proud that her little donkey was pure white.

Another day a great merchant’s caravan passed with tall haughty camels.

“Oh mother,” the little white donkey cried. “When I am grown, I will be a tall camel. And I will carry shining boxes of jewels and ointments. I will carry bolts of bright silks. I will proudly carry the most precious of precious things.”

Mother would smile and say, “Who knows, my little one, what your role will be? You are a little white donkey, and you will follow the path for you.”

Another day, trumpets sounded and a marching of soldiers filled the road. Behind the soldiers came a great man on a tall stallion. The man wore bright armor and scarlet robes, sitting high on the horse and looking down on the poor people who hurried out of his way on the road to Jerusalem.

“Who is that?”

“That is the great ruler of Palestine, the governor chosen by Ceasar, all the way in Rome.”

“When I am grown, I will be a stallion, snorting and stamping. I will carry a great ruler.”

 “Who knows, my little one? You are a little white donkey, and you will follow the path that is right for you.”

A day or two later, two poor men came to the miller of Bethphage. Their robes were tattered and dusty. The little donkey could see they were used to walking and carrying heavy loads.

The little white donkey heard one of the men greet the miller kindly. “Is this your little white donkey? What a fine beast.”

“Yes,” The little donkey was glad the miller was so proud of her.  “This little donkey is pure white.” The miller put his arm around the little donkey’s neck. “Look closely, you will see no mark or blemish. I am saving her for something very special.”

“She is a very fine white donkey indeed,” said the stranger. Then he looked serious.

“Good miller, may I take your donkey, the mother at the mill, and her little white colt, on which no man has ridden?”

The miller tightened his grip on the little donkey’s neck. He was angry now. “Why should I let you take them? Who are you to ask this? I am saving that white donkey to sell. Why should I let you use them?”

“The Lord has need of them.”

The miller stopped. The little donkey noticed the miller looked at the men carefully. He seemed to know them. He said, “The Lord? He who has taught in the temple?”

The little donkey heard the miller’s voice grow quiet and solemn. “He who stays with Lazarus of Bethany? Lazarus. He who was dead and now lives?”

The dusty men stood tall and gravely nodded.

The miller then unharnessed the mother donkey, and prepared both the mother and colt to go.

 The dusty man took the lead of her mother, and the little donkey trotted along behind, wondering about this strange thing. Before long they reached a group of men and women, clustered around a tall man, listening to him.

As they approached, the little donkey and her mother stopped and the tall man turned toward them. “Ah,” he said as he bent down to rub the mother’s soft brown nose.

Was this the man they called “The Lord”?

“So, mother, is this your little colt? She is white and beautiful. Will you let me ride her?”

The little white donkey trembled just a little as the kind man stroked her back.  “Do not fear. I will not hurt you.”

Though she was just a little white donkey, on which man had never ridden, as this man stroked her back, she knew she could carry him.

“Jesus, we will prepare this white donkey for you.” A woman near the Lord spoke gently. She and other women standing there came forward, robes in their arms. Smiling, they lay the soft clothing across the little donkey’s back.

Then the man, this man they called Jesus, the Lord, sat upon the little donkey, his long legs dangling.

Someone cried out, “Behold thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt, the foal of an ass.”

The people cried out in joy. “Hosanna to the Son of David!”

The mother walked proudly beside her little white donkey.

“Mother, this is better than being a sturdy mule, surrounded by families walking to Jerusalem. I have never seen such joy as this.”

“Yes, my little one.”

The little donkey watched as more and more people joined the throng. They cut branches from the sides of the road and laid them out, so that the little donkey’s feet did not even touch the dusty road.

“Mother, this is better than being a merchant’s camel. I think I carry something more precious yet than all the jewels and silks.

“Yes, my little one.”

The crowd sang, and called out, “Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.”

“Mother, this is better than being a great stallion carrying the proud ruler.”

“Yes, my little one.”

“Mother, who is this man I carry?”

“I hear the people say, ‘This is Jesus, the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee.’”

The little white donkey felt the goodness and power of the man he carried. The people sang and cried. Proudly, the white donkey carried this Jesus through the gates of the city.

“Yes, mother, he is this and more. I think he is the very God of all.”

“Yes,” the mother answered. “And you have found your path.”

“Hosanna! Hosanna!” The people cried, as the little white donkey carried the Lord, the Prince of Peace, the Savior of the world.

Matthew 21: 1-11

And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples, saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me. And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them. 

            All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass.