What is that?

That was his first thought. And, as Tapeinos turned to look at what someone had set upon his back, he almost bucked in disbelief. Immediately he set about hee-hawing in protest at today's burden.

Tapeinos didn't hee-haw that often. In fact, there were only three things that made Tapeinos hee-haw. The first was today's issue -- if he didn't like something he'd hee-haw loud and hard in objection. The second reason for which Tapeinos heehawed was to draw attention to himself. I mean, if there were a sleek 275 pound mare making her way down the lane, how else would she know he was interested?

The third reason Tapeinos hee-hawed was for the absolute joy of hee-hawing. Nothing made him feel more alive, nothing delighted him more than a good bray sometimes.

At this moment, though, Tapeinos did not hee-haw for attention or for joy, he brayed in resistance to the cargo he was forced to carry today.

It was a man! A full-grown man with a beard and shoulder length hair. Tapeinos wanted to see more of Him so he turned to look more fully. But every time he turned, the man sitting on his back always swung around behind him.

Yet, he saw and remembered one thing about the Rider. The eyes. Tapeinos had seen a lot of eyes in his three years. They glared at him past the veiled mouth and nose when the dust kicked up in the wilderness near Masada. They threatened him in the pre-dawn light as his master, Jacob, loaded him with the olive oil he delivered almost every day.

Tapeinos was always looking at eyes because that's what looked back at him. As a pack animal, he'd always been used for carrying oil, water, spices, even rock. And usually that meant that a person would be in front of him pulling his lead. Whenever Tapeinos would stop, eyes would glare back at him, flashing or squinting in threat.

And Tapeinos stopped frequently. He just didn't feel like moving all the time at the pace Jacob decided. Sometimes he'd tell Jacob what he thought about the enormous loads with a complaining "hee-haw."

And Jacob would scowl, pull, tug, and sometimes whip Tapeinos until he moved again.

The man on Tapeinos' back this day had eyes as full of life as any he'd ever seen. But there was something else. There seemed to be a connection between Tapeinos and this Stranger, as strong as he'd felt as a colt with his mother. That's why he kept turning around. He wanted to see Him.

At that moment the Stranger leaned over and whispered something in Tapeinos' ear -- "Thank you for the honor of sitting astride your back, Tapeinos."

"How did He know my name?" was followed quickly by another thought. What is that smell?

Every time the wind changed the pungent odor of nard hit the donkey's nostrils. He'd not smelled that potent a fragrance since ... since ... since the funeral last month! Despite His eyes, the Rider carried with him, on him, the smell of death.

Those standing around noticed a calm, almost an assurance, come over the animal after the Rider spoke to it.