Donkey, a man and some mats - 5yo's interpretation of a parable. What can she possibly mean?

[BarkingHarriet]

I've rephrased this from another thread to see if I get more replies - dd2's homework is to paraphrase the "story of the donkey, the man and the gate" from the New Testament.

Any suggestions? Is the donkey a camel? Are the mats palm leaves? Answers on a postcard

I should imagine it when Jesus rode the donkey from the Mount of Olives into Jerusalem - 'tis Palm Sunday on Sunday so would make sense.

the mats would be their cloaks and the palm leaves - was actually a Colt (apparently) but usually referred to as a Donkey.

She says the man put all the mats on to the donkey but it wouldn't fit through the gate so he had to take the mats off. But then again, she is 5, so she could have added that bit!

It's nowhere near Palm Sunday on Sunday, not Ash Wednesday till the 25th.
So I think it is probably the camel and the eye of the needle.
Can you not ask the teacher?
I remember what trouble we had with our son, aged 5 who came home with "God said to Moses Godsivver".
We worked out in the end that it was "God said to Moses: "Go thither". What a thing to teach 5-year olds eh?

you're right I'm talking utter nonsense - I had Palm Sunday in my mind as it was the next Sunday we would have to plan hims for

The eye of the needle story? Donkey = camel, mats = possessions, gate = needle?

Thanks for all of your help. I think I'm going to have to ask the teacher on monday - and apologise for her holiday homework not being on time

I reckon the donkey is a camel - eye of a needle.

I think I've seen a children's version with lots of mats on the camel, that have to be unloaded for him to fit.

Smithagain - thank you! I'll check with her to see if that sound familiar.

I may be wrong but I think taht one of the city gates in Jerusalem was referred to as 'an eye of a needle' where it was so narrow, the camels had to squeeze through on their knees hence the saying about is it harder to get into heaven than a camel through the eye of a needle. If you want to browse through a Bible, St Mark's is the shortest gospel or googling should bring up the parables.

According to BibleGateway.com, you will find the story in three places:

Matthew 19:23-25
Mark 10:24-26
Luke 18:24-26

However, none of them mention mats - if we are on the right story, I reckon the mats are artistic license from children's Bible illustrators! So if the homework is to paraphrase it "from the New Testament", possibly she is looking for a different story after all

I'd be inclined to revert to "Dear Mrs Teacher, we don't know what story you are talking about, sorry about that ..."

Well, we handed it in on the basis of the rich man/camel/eye of needle parable (but with a man, a donkey and some mats) so we'll see what the teacher says. If nothing else it might entertain her!