# Spanish Donkey explained — Poetry

> Chapter companion for Poetry by James McIntyre.

## What happens

A Spanish peasant owns a clever donkey that learns to ring doorbells and bray to sell milk while the peasant is ill. The townspeople, led by the mayor, ensure honest dealings, and the peasant recovers.

## Themes in this chapter

### Moral Lessons and Domestic Virtue

The story illustrates honesty and community integrity, as the mayor ensures fair trade and the peasant recovers through honest dealings.

## Key lines

> Spanish Donkey In Spain full oft the little donkey Is misehievous as a monkey, But Spanish peasant owned a prize, A donkey was both strong and wise.

In Spain, donkeys are often mischievous, but one peasant owned a particularly strong and clever donkey.

_Introduces the donkey's character and the setting._

> It really did turn out that way, House without bell for them he'd bray; And allowed the Spanishers To unload his panniers.

The donkey would ring bells at houses that had them, and bray at those without, and even let customers unload his baskets.

_Describes the donkey's learned behavior during the peasant's illness._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_12_se/chapters/spanish-donkey
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_12_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_12_se/chapters