The king has put me in a wonderful stall and people are always coming along to admire it. When they see me, they wonder why he keeps such an ordinary-looking donkey in such a fine place. My long, drooping ears are my only unique feature.

Do you want to know why the king takes such good care of me? I will tell you. Every night, when I am sleeping, bushels of gold pieces fall out of my ears. In the morning, the king’s attendants come to pick up the gold. As you might imagine, it is no hardship to clean out my stall! On more than one occasion I have seen his servants sneak a gold piece or two in their pockets.

Am I proud of my special gift? To be honest, it’s nothing to bray about. I don’t like being the king’s prized donkey. In fact, I am quite sure I will die for it.

The Donkey in Donkey Skin, The Grey Fairy Book. Painting by Edgar Hunt.