The Donkey That Sneezed

by Val Biro

Val Biro's popular traditional tales have been adapted for shared reading. The text has been simplified and the books all have specially commissioned notes for parents on how to share the stories with their children, written by Kate Agnew - a knowledgeable and well-respected bookseller at
Heffers in Cambridge.

32 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1986

About the author

Val Biro (pronounced Beer-oh) was a children's author, artist and illustrator, was a native of Hungary, but was a resident in Sussex in England. He received his education in Budapest and London. His studio was located in Amersham in Buckinghamshire.

"I write so as to give my alter-ego a good chance for drawing pictures, though I find that the story I invent tends to run away with itself, leaving me, the illustrator, behind! Each story tends to be based on personal experience and, equally, each tends to grow out of that into the imagination. Each book seems to take a few months to gestate, and then I write it in one long day (or night)."

Reviews

[John Michael Martinez (Elio. Journal) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked up this book out of curiosity, wanting a quick story to read. The first thing I noticed was the colorful vintage illustrations, which caught my attention due to my enthusiasm for graphic novels and illustrated books.

The story revolves around three siblings—Tom, Dick, and Harry—who venture into the outside world to work and bring something back for their family. Tom is the first to find his luck. He works for a kind old woman who gives him a table that produces food when the chant "Ready, Table, Ready" is roared. Tom stops to rest at an inn run by a crooked owner. The innkeeper sees Tom using the table, and when Tom falls asleep, he sneaks into his room and replaces the magic table with a normal one. When Tom returns home and shows the table to his family, it produces no food, which angers his father and siblings.

Dick is the second to seek his fortune and ends up working for the same kind old woman. She gives him a donkey that sneezes coins when the chant "Sneeze, Donkey, Sneeze" is roared. Dick rests at the same inn, where the crooked owner sees him again. During the night, the innkeeper replaces the magical donkey with a normal one. When Dick arrives home and demonstrates the donkey, no coins are released, further angering the old man.

Finally, Harry sets out to work, and the kind old woman gives him a stick in a sack that jumps and attacks when the chant "Jump, Stick, Jump" is roared. Harry decides to rest at the same inn, but he knows about the crooked owner. He roars "Jump, Stick, Jump," releasing the stick to slap the innkeeper. The owner begs for mercy and agrees to return all the magical items Harry's brothers earned through hard work. Harry goes back to his family with all the items, and they all enjoy the fruits of their labor.

This book teaches the value of hard work and taking pride in what you have earned.

[Ian McHugh · Rating 2 out of 5]

A funny little tail of three brothers who happen upon magical food giving tables, and money giving donkeys. They are tricked by a nasty inn keeper but when they find a stick that beats whomever they would like, the brother exact their revenge and get the table and the donkey back. Florence doesn’t like the innkeeper - she ‘booed’ when he was on the page. She also thought that a donkey that sneezes was HILARIOUS - particularly as it is coins and “not snot Daddy” that comes out of the Finley’s nose.