366 WILD ANIMALS. 



the usual tricks of the "performing horses" of the circus. 

 Training donkeys to go through these antics is not, however, 

 a modern idea. This is shown by the following quotation. 

 Leo, the African, states : ^ — 



" There was a cunning player in Africa, in a city called Alcair, 

 who taught an asse divers strange tricks or feats ; for in a public 

 spectacle, turning to his asse (being on a scaffold to shew sport), 

 said, the great Sultan purposeth to build him a house, and shall 

 need all the asses of Alcair to fetch and carry wood, stones, lime, 

 and other necessaries for that business ; presently the asse falleth 

 down, turneth up his heels into the air, groneth, and shutteth his 

 eyes fast, as if he had been dead ; while he lay thus, the player 

 desired the beholders to consider his estate, for his asse was dead; 

 he was a poor man, and therefore moved them to give him money 

 to buy another asse. In the mean time, having gotten as much 

 money as he could, he told the people he was not dead, but know- 

 ing his master's poverty, counterfeited in that manner, whereby 

 he might get money to buy him provender, and therefore he 

 turned again to his asse and bid him arise, but he stirred not at 

 all. Then did he strike and beat him sore (as it seemed) to make 

 him arise, but all in vain, the asse lay still. 



" Then said the player again, our Sultan hath commanded that 

 to-morrow there be a great triumph without the city, and that 

 all the noble women shall ride thither upon the fairest asses, 

 and this night they must be fed with oates, and have the best 

 water of Nilus to drink. At the hearing whereof, up started the 

 asse, snorting and leaping for joy ; then said the player, the 

 governor of the town hath desired me to lend him this my asse 

 for his old deformed wife to ride upon ; at which words the asse 

 hangeth down his ears, and understanding like a reasonable 

 creature, began to halt as if his leg had been out of joint ; why, 

 but, said the player, had thou lifer carry a fair young woman ? 

 The asse wagged his head in token of content to that bargain ; go 

 then (said the player) and among all these fair women, chuse one 

 that thou mayest carry ; then the asse looked round about the 



3 See TopseU's " History of Four-footed Beasts," 1658. 



