There are various ways to see a given event.  This is a different
view of Jasper's first Nativity Scene.
______________

When a band of young angels with sparkling white robes and floppy
wings sang Christmas carols to Jasper, the wild-hearted donkey, they
celebrated a victory over his very dark fears.

Jasper had no idea why his beloved human companions began putting
his halter on after sunset and walking him down the street on a 
sidewalk every night for a week.  The novel exercise gave him
trouble only when his people attempted to make the donkey approach a
hole in a big building by walking below a large object sticking out
from the roof on one side, supported by hitching posts on the other.
At last he screwed up his courage, scrunched under the overhang and 
poked his white nose into the hole.  People were running around in 
bright light there, bouncing big balls at loops on the wall while 
shouting loudly.  Jasper was scared, and he got away from that
place as fast as his little black legs could carry him, rope
trailing behind.

Two nights later he was back at the hole with a Very Strong Person
hanging onto his rope and a Very Tickly Person waving a long string
on a stick at his back legs.  Jasper went through the hole.  As soon
as he did his human family gave him so many hugs and donkey delights
he knew he'd done the right thing.  He still shook with nerves as he 
walked around and around inside the giant stall.  His feet made such 
clopping noises on the not-dirt that he had to keep stopping to examine 
them for changes.

Twenty children of all sizes were grouped at one end of the big stall.  
A lady pushed a button on a long black box which immediately began making 
lots of sounds.  Rhythms, whistles, squeals, bumps went high and low but 
conveyed nothing to a donkey.  Suddenly the children all began talking in 
rhythms at the same time, a very loud noise.  Jasper did not like this at 
all.  Whatever were they trying to tell him, all standing there wagging 
their tongues at once?  He shrank back and shivered.

Understanding that their donkey guest was fearful, a dozen of the smallest 
Indian children  -- for this big building belongs to Native people of many 
nations -- suddenly raced from the carolling group straight to Jasper.  
Skimming across the wide floor, without a word they put their little arms 
around him, covering him with shining black hair and kisses. He hung his 
head down, closed his eyes, and gave himself up to the experience of being 
all warmed up by love.  Silently, children smiled and were happy.  Jasper 
felt the same way.

A couple of nights later the donkey was ready for his trip through the big 
stall.  Now he knew that his girl would climb on his back and ride around 
while a boy who was pretty good at scratching ears led him.  He would stop 
at the end of a raised platform, where the girl would get down and leave him,
and somebody else would hold him while the noise rhythms happened. Then he 
would go home.

But why was it so dark in the stall?  There seemed to be many more humans 
here than on the other nights, all on clattery little folding seats.  His 
girl was certainly having a bad time of it, trying to hop on his broad back 
while wearing a long, flapping garment he'd never seen before.  Maybe he'd 
better just go round by himself and stand there while the children did their 
rhythm talking.  Then they could all go home.  But the boy would not let Jasper 
go.  He had to stand still, saying ouch to himself every time the girl landed 
on his back and slid off.

After they got going in the dimness Jasper set himself to do what was expected 
of him, being careful not to bump into humans or chairs.  Wow! A brilliant flare 
cut the air between his ears, illuminating a huge tree all covered with tiny
colored lights and lots of sparkly -- what, icicles?  This was right in front of 
him and for an instant Jasper thought those sparkles were grabbing for him.  He 
jumped to turn around.  His girl slid to the floor, the boy said "Oh, no! Are you
all right?"  Jasper had done a terrible thing, so he peeked around at the girl as 
she struggled to get back up.  He felt much better when she patted his neck.

Off they started again, but those sparkles -- was that a real tree under the 
brightness?  Perhaps he'd better just bite it to be sure...  Why do all the people 
make the funny noise?  The boy is pulling, she is kicking donkey ribs, time to 
move along. 

The girl got off, the boy left him.  As the small black-haired angels shouted, 
Jasper swayed beside a pile of musty alfalfa hay on which were piled motionless, 
fuzzy soft objects with eyes and ears and tails.  Some of them even had horns, but 
they were not alive.

When at last the big noises stopped and the sitting people were hitting their 
hands together, Jasper went up to his human family and began bumping them with 
his nose.  He needed to get out of this big, hot stall, because he had something 
to take care of.  But wait, here comes a big man, smiling, offering a delicious 
treat.  Yum! Got another?  A donkey could go for another one of those!  Could go...
Uh, oh, they didn't get him out of here in time!

copyright 1996, Emily Lee Phillips

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         !Feliz Navidad de Nuevo Mexico!

       Emily Lee Phillips, elp@thuntek.net
              Bernalillo County, NM
            http://www.thuntek.net/~elp
http://www.thuntek.net/~elp/wbr = Wild Burro Rescue