The Lonely Donkey-- Part Two

By Laurie Clauson

The next morning when he saw Joseph, he brayed a great l-o-n-g bray to tell Joseph how glad he was to see him. Joseph tickled his long ears, then brushed his long, shaggy coat. Donkey was so happy he could hardly stand still. When Joseph saddled him, he nearly kicked up his heels for joy. Carrying Mary would keep him from being lonely.

They left the small inn and the road stretched before them like an unending ribbon. They traveled along at Donkey’s slow pace and hardly anyone saw them. They were just people traveling along the road to Judea.

For several days the same pace continued. They started early in the morning, at lunch at noon and stopped at an inn for the night. Every night it was the same way. The tired little donkey would begin thinking of home and get so very homesick and so very lonely that a big tear would splash off the end of his nose into the straw.

All three travelers were getting tired and dusty, but especially Mary. Joseph and Donkey tried everything they could think of to make the ride easier but nothing helped much at all.

Poor Donkey felt terrible about it. He tried walking slower but then it took longer to get from place to place. So instead he walked on the tips of his hooves to cushion the ride. Mary seldom smiled now, but she was never so tired that she forgot to pet Donkey and praise him. Donkey wanted so much to help but there was nothing at all he could do. Joseph too was worried. Deep lines began to show on his face. He was so worried about Mary but he never said a cross word to patient Donkey.

Then one evening Joseph was happy again. "We will reach Bethlehem tonight,"he said. Mary managed to smile back at him and Donkey almost brayed for joy. Now everything would be alright.

This time they didn’t stop when the sun went down. Instead they traveled by moonlight. When they came over a small hill they saw, spread out below them, the twinkling lights of Bethlehem. Donkey lifted his hooves high as they plodded down into the town. Now they would find a bed for Mary. The town seemed to be awfully crowded. There were people everywhere, even this late in the evening.

At the first inn they saw, Joseph knocked on the door and asked, "Have you a room we can rent? My wife is very tired and must have a place to stay."

"I’m very sorry,"said the inn keeper, "but all my rooms are filled. Perhaps you can find a room down the street."

"Thank you," said Joseph and he turned away to walk further down the street. He knocked at another door a little way down the street but again the inn keeper replied, "I'm sorry, but all my rooms are filled."

Joseph and Donkey with Mary on his back, walked all over Bethlehem but no one had room for them. All the inns were filled. Donkey was getting angry. There must have been room in one of the inns. Mary needed to rest so desperately. They must find a place to stay.

Joseph was heart-broken but he tried not to let Mary know. She was so tired that she could hardly stay on Donkey’s back. Donkey began walking down the last street. At the end was a small, run-down inn with a light in the window. The trio slowly plodded down toward the light. Joseph knocked and the door opened.

"Please, sir, have you any room left in your inn at all? My wife is becoming very ill and must have a place to stay. We have been traveling all for days to come and pay our taxes. You must take us in."

"I'm very sorry," said the inn keeper, "but I just don't have any rooms left. It seems as if all of Judea is coming to Bethlehem. But wait, I have a small clean stable. I beg your forgiveness for not offering something better, but my rooms are full. If it will be of any help, please stay there for the night."

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Stop back next week for part three of The Lonely Donkey