Character Analysis: The Donkey's Dimples

WORKING TITLE: The Donkey’s Dimples

DESCRIPTION: Dotty is so shy that she just stands and hides behind her mother all day. But around her, life at the farm is full of fun! Will Dotty learn that she doesn’t have to be fast like Fred the Foal or funny like Peggy the Piglet? Will Dotty learn that she has her own special talents, too?

Options for the donkey’s name (still a “pretty” name but more offbeat):

- Dotty

- Dixie

- Dolly

STORY:

1. The moon was very bright on the night that three sweet babies were born on the farm. Mama Pig had a piglet she called Peggy. Mama Horse gave birth to a strong foal named Fred. And Dotty was Mama Donkey’s new baby.

2. Peggy had a curly tail on her cuddly and fat body. From the very beginning, she was already

She had small ears, a bushy tail and sad brown eyes. She looked around her new home but she didn’t laugh or smile.

3. The other animals in the farm had no words but praise for Peggy the Piglet.

“Peggy is so cute, so funny and so sweet.

She makes us laugh with a dance by standing on two feet!

We just love to watch her when she does that little jig.

She knows her jokes and tells them well. She’s such a funny pig!”

4. The animals in the farm were also very fond of Fred the Foal.

“Look at our dear Fred, so strong and brave and fast.

In any race we’re sure that he’ll never come in last!

Anyone can count on Fred to jump over fences high.

With his speed and strength, it almost seems like he can fly!”

5. But when it came to Dotty, the other animals didn’t really care.

“We know Dotty the Donkey but she is very shy.

All day she just looks at the ground and never at the sky.

We haven’t seen her whole face so we suppose she looks just like any other.

The only thing we’ve seen her do is hide behind her mother. “

6. Sadly, it was true. Dotty was so shy that when she peeked from her mother legs, they could only see her twitching ears, her wide forehead and her sad

But you don’t know who made the braids and twisted all the thread.

I also have to thank someone that we all know. Can’t you guess?

Thank you, Dotty the Donkey, for making our show a success!”

19. The animals all turned their heads and looked at Dotty. But for the very first time, Dotty didn’t feel shy at all. She looked back at her smiling friends and felt a lump in her throat. They were thanking her for her help! They said that they could not have been so good without her!

20. Suddenly Dotty realized that she didn’t have to be funny or fast to be special! She had talents of her own. She helped Peggy learn her jokes. She made Fred prettier to look at while he ran. She felt her ears twitching. She felt grateful tears in her eyes. And she felt something strange happening to her mouth and cheeks.

21. With a warm feeling in her heart, Dotty looked up at the sky and smiled.

22. A gasp was heard throughout the yard. Everybody was looking at Dotty the Donkey. Her eyes were sparkling. She didn’t look like just a plain donkey anymore. Her smile lit up the whole farm! And on both sides of her cheeks, the two sweetest little dimples appeared.

23.

“Wow! Look at Dotty” everybody