The Story of a Nodding Donkey 
 
Project Gutenberg's The Story of a Nodding Donkey, by Laura Lee 
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Title: The Story of a Nodding Donkey 
Author: Laura Lee Hope 
Illustrator: Harry L. Smith 
Release Date: February 5, 2006 [EBook #17679] 
Language: English 
Character set encoding: ASCII 
*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE 
STORY OF A NODDING DONKEY *** 
 
Produced by Marilynda Fraser-Cunliffe, Emmy and the Online 
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MAKE BELIEVE STORIES (Trademark Registered) 
THE STORY OF A NODDING DONKEY
BY LAURA LEE HOPE 
AUTHOR OF "THE STORY OF A SAWDUST DOLL," "THE 
STORY OF A CALICO CLOWN," "THE STORY OF A CHINA 
CAT," "THE STORY OF A PLUSH BEAR," ETC. 
ILLUSTRATED BY HARRY L. SMITH 
NEW YORK GROSSET & DUNLAP PUBLISHERS 
Made in the United States of America 
 
BOOKS 
BY LAURA LEE HOPE 
Durably Bound. Illustrated. 
MAKE BELIEVE STORIES 
THE STORY OF A SAWDUST DOLL THE STORY OF A WHITE 
ROCKING HORSE THE STORY OF A LAMB ON WHEELS THE 
STORY OF A BOLD TIN SOLDIER THE STORY OF A CANDY 
RABBIT THE STORY OF A MONKEY ON A STICK THE STORY 
OF A CALICO CLOWN THE STORY OF A NODDING DONKEY 
THE STORY OF A CHINA CAT THE STORY OF A PLUSH BEAR 
THE BOBBSEY TWINS SERIES 
THE BOBBSEY TWINS THE BOBBSEY TWINS IN THE 
COUNTRY THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT THE SEASHORE THE 
BOBBSEY TWINS AT SCHOOL THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT 
SNOW LODGE THE BOBBSEY TWINS ON A HOUSEBOAT THE 
BOBBSEY TWINS AT MEADOW BROOK THE BOBBSEY TWINS 
AT HOME THE BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY THE 
BOBBSEY TWINS ON BLUEBERRY ISLAND THE BOBBSEY 
TWINS ON THE DEEP BLUE SEA THE BOBBSEY TWINS IN
WASHINGTON THE BOBBSEY TWINS IN THE GREAT WEST 
THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT CEDAR CAMP 
THE BUNNY BROWN SERIES 
THE SIX LITTLE BUNKERS SERIES 
THE OUTDOOR GIRLS SERIES 
GROSSET & DUNLAP, Publishers, New York 
Copyright, 1921, by GROSSET & DUNLAP 
The Story of a Nodding Donkey 
 
CONTENTS 
CHAPTER PAGE 
I THE SANTA CLAUS SHOP 1 
II A WONDERFUL VOYAGE 13 
III THE JOLLY STORE 24 
IV THE CHINA CAT 36 
V THE LAME BOY 48 
VI A NEW HOME 60 
VII THE FLOOD 72 
VIII A BROKEN LEG 86 
IX A LONESOME DONKEY 94 
X JOE CAN RUN 109
[Illustration: The Nodding Donkey's First Appearance. 
Frontispiece--(Page 2)] 
 
THE STORY OF A 
NODDING DONKEY 
CHAPTER I 
THE SANTA CLAUS SHOP 
The Nodding Donkey dated his birth from the day he received the 
beautiful coat of varnish in the workshop of Santa Claus at the North 
Pole. Before that he was just some pieces of wood, glued together. His 
head was not glued on, however, but was fastened in such a manner 
that with the least motion the Donkey could nod it up and down, and 
also sidewise. 
It is not every wooden donkey who is able to nod his head in as many 
ways as could the Donkey about whom I am going to tell you. This 
Nodding Donkey was an especially fine toy, and, as has been said, his 
first birthday was that on which he received such a bright, shiny coat of 
varnish. 
"Here, Santa Claus, look at this, if you please!" called one of the jolly 
workmen in the shop of St. Nicholas. "Is this toy finished, now?" and 
he held up the Nodding Donkey. 
Santa Claus, who was watching another man put some blue eyes in a 
golden-haired doll, came over to the bench where sat the man who had 
made the Nodding Donkey out of some bits of wood, glue, and real hair 
for his mane and tail. 
"Hum! Yes! So you have finished the Nodding Donkey, have you?" 
asked Santa Claus, as he stroked his long, white beard. 
"I'll call him finished if you say he is all right," answered the man,
smiling as he put the least tiny dab more of varnish on the Donkey's 
back. "Shall I set him on the shelf to dry, so you may soon take him 
down to Earth for some lucky boy or girl?" 
"Yes, he is finished. Set him on the shelf with the other toys," answered 
dear old St. Nicholas, and then, having given a last look at the Donkey, 
the workman placed him on a shelf, next to a wonderful Plush Bear, of 
whom I shall tell you more in another book. 
"Well, I'm glad he's finished," said Santa Claus' worker, as he took up 
his tools to start making a Striped Tiger, with a red tongue. "That 
Nodding    
    
		
	
	
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