Donkeys are featured in Greek myth from the time King Midas was given the ears of an ass after misjudging a musical competition. They made their way into the works of Homer, Aesop and Apuleis where they were generally portrayed as stupid, servile and stubborn. Always the fool, even in Greek proverbs such as the one that says “the donkey lets the rain soak him” to show fatal resignation. The dumb donkey, however, has always been an integral part of Greek life whether it be serving as a taxi up and down jagged cliffs or delivering water supplies on islands where there are no cars.
The Greek donkey is perhaps one of the misunderstood, mistreated and beautiful animals of Greece.
On Corfu..
On Hydra…
On Lindos, Rhodes…
On Mykonos…
On Patmos…
On Symi…
On Santorini…
In motion pictures…
On Stamps…
On beer…
At a Canadian Canteen…
Unfortunately, however, donkeys are far from happy animals. Many have been replaced by vehicles after hundreds of years and end up abandoned by the roadside, are left to die horrible deaths in the cruel Greek sun or end up in “meat” trucks.
An animation featuring Mariza, the donkey…
