Sad to hear the news that Eric Boswell died recently. His song, Little Donkey, is such a Christmas favourite, even though he reportedly had mixed feelings about the way its success overshadowed his other work.
He was another children's favourite who had a degree in physics. It must be something about the imagination.
Little donkey, little donkey,
On the dusty road.
Got to keep on plodding onwards,
With your precious load.
Been a long time, little donkey,
Through the winter's night.
Don't give up now, little donkey
I don't think Nan Goodall had a degree in physics but she wrote Donkey's Glory which was one of the very first books that I owned. The illustrations by Clare Dawson played a large part in fixing it so vividly in my memory. The little donkey, after many other adventures, was chosen to carry Jesus on Palm Sunday.
If I remember rightly the book also contained the story of Tobias & the Angel, which impressed me mightily. It came as a surprise later on to learn that some disapproved of this because it is considered to belong in the Apocrypha.
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