Contents
Spotlight
Alternative Modes of Transport
It had to be done, really. After all the volcanic excitement last month we decided that this month’s spotlight would be about modes of transport that don’t involve ‘planes, trains and automobiles’ (in our view one of the few movies in which Steve Martin is actually funny, but enough of being snitty critics). We’re going to leave out boats, too. One reason for this is that we did a piece about the sea not so long ago. That having been said, if your flight has been cancelled, ‘why not build a coracle to visit the Oracle?’ (sorry!). Here we focus on tried and tested forms of overland transport. We’re going to start (and possibly finish, depending on how this article goes) with the donkey.
The Arrival of the Donkey on Crete
Apparently donkeys were first introduced to Crete during Neolithic times. When presented with this fact, our roving sports’ reporter asked the not too unreasonable question ‘Who introduced them, and how?’ Wikipedia failing to deliver, it was at this point that the editor tried to wing it by saying ‘Possibly in much the same way that the lemurs got to Madagascar, which was by building rafts and paddling across the ocean from mainland Africa’ (yes, I know, they didn’t become lemurs until after they got there, but we digress). This didn’t cut the mustard as an answer. But hopefully somebody out there will know and will tell us. Anyway, donkeys arrived on Crete a long time ago, at about the same time as the rabbit did (on the same ferry?! Get a grip, woman, and, more importantly, get back to the point). Since then, the donkey has proved to be an invaluable transporter of goods and people, and a loyal friend. Contrary to popular belief donkeys are NOT STUBBORN. They just have a healthier sense of survival than some other animals. If it isn’t good for the donkey, it probably isn’t good for you, either. Just think about it.
Donkeys and the Resistance
As we pointed out on our ‘This Month’ page, in May we commemorate the Battle of Crete in 1941. After the Battle of Crete, the local resistance worked valiantly –often at great personal cost to themselves and their families - to try and shelter stranded allied soldiers and to help them get off Crete by any means possible. George Psychoundakis ‘The Cretan runner’ from Asi Gonia, had a great story to tell about how his donkey nearly gave him heart failure when he was trying to pass messages back and forth across the island. The donkey appeared to be over-laden by huge sacks of wheat and was refusing to move when it was approached by a couple of German soldiers. The soldiers offered to help to move the donkey and set about beating it with a stick. What the soldiers didn’t know was that underneath the sacks of wheat there was a concealed wireless set. The soldiers were being fairly rigorous in their ’trying to be helpful and getting the donkey to move tactics’ - so much so that George was getting seriously worried that the saddlebags were going to be shifted, and would reveal the wireless. Happily, though, at the critical moment, the soldiers noticed some attractive local girls and started to flirt. The donkey went off, with contraband cargo in tow.
King Midas, Dionysus and the Donkey’s Ears
As you now know, our God of the month is Dionysus. And as you also now know, the team finally chose Dionysus having rejected several other Gods in the process. I can see that you cannot see where we are going with this. We chose Dionysus before the volcano had done its thing. We chose Dionysus before we had done our homework and knew about the donkey gig. We chose Dionysus before we knew we were going to write about alternative modes of transport. ICELAND, WE LOVE YOU!!!
So here’s the story. Dionysus lost track of his drinking partner, who was later found by King Midas. Dionysus, being grateful for getting his smashed mate back asked Midas what he would like as a prezzie in return. Midas asked for everything he touched to be turned into gold. So Midas got his wish, but he soon wished that he hadn’t wished for his wish. He managed to turn his wife into a gold statue, his food into gold etc. etc. So he begged Dionysus to revert the wish. Which Dionysus did. Then Midas gave up all material things and started to worship Pan (him of the pipes). There was a music contest between Pan and Apollo. Most of the judges thought that Apollo was better, but Midas voted for Pan. In revenge, Apollo made Midas’s ears become like donkey’s ears (because donkeys are not supposed to be musical). Midas tried to hide them but without much success—especially as his barber blew his cover.
And finally, on a more serious note, check out some of the donkey sanctuaries here on Crete: www.ezelopvangkreta.eu is not a bad place to start.
