For the next few weeks my sacredartpilgrim sister site will present images celebrating the donkey in religious art. This humble beast of burden figures in several biblical narratives, one of which is the subject of my posting for the beginning of the summer--the story of Balaam's ass, found in the Hebrew Scriptures in the Book of Numbers, Chapter 22. The Prophet Balaam was summoned by the enemies of the Children of Israel to speak a curse against them. On the way, an angel seen only by his donkey blocks his path. When the ass refuses to go forward, Balaam strikes it three times, until God finally gives the animal the power to speak out against its rider--the only miracle of its kind in the Bible. Our attention is drawn to the snarling lips of the donkey, strugging to form words, in an etching from American-Jewish Printmaker Ben Zion and a mixed media carved panel (left) from American Visionary Artist Carl Dixon. French-Jewish Artist Benn depicts the cross creature stand-off in an abstract color lithograph. The story lends itself well to political caricature and I have included a late 19th century cartoon from American Illustrator Victor Gillam where Democratic President Grover Cleveland is lampooned as a witless prophet forcing his party, represented by the donkey, to accept free trade policies. This four-legged witness to truth now counts among The Heroes of the Bible in The Bible Stories & Parables section. (John Kohan)