HOW the ASS BECAME a MAN AGAIN
by Unknown · from The Red Romance Book
Adapted Version
Once there was a boy named Apuleius. He liked to have fun, but he did not like to work. He liked magic very much.
Apuleius liked magic. He read many magic books. He went on a trip. He went to a far-off place. This place had much magic. Apuleius liked this. He wanted to see magic. He felt happy to go. He liked new things. He wanted to find adventure.
Apuleius liked magic very much. He met a girl named Fotis. Fotis worked for a magic lady. Her name was Pamphile. Apuleius wanted to see real magic. He asked Fotis to show him. He asked her very nicely. He wanted to see magic changes. Fotis agreed to help him. Apuleius felt very happy. He was curious about magic.
Apuleius watched Pamphile. He watched her in secret. She used magic cream. She turned into an owl. Apuleius wanted to fly. He wanted to be an owl too. He found some magic cream. He thought it was the same cream. But it was the wrong cream. He put it on himself. Poof! He turned into an ass. He had long ears. He had a big nose. He had a tail. He was an ass now. Not an owl.
Fotis saw him. She felt sad. She said, "Eat roses. They will help you." Apuleius looked for roses. He saw some. He tried to eat them. A man came. He pushed Apuleius away. Apuleius felt sad.
Some rough people came. They took Apuleius. He had to carry bags. The bags were heavy. They walked a long way. It was a hard walk. They went to a cave.
They sold Apuleius. He went to new people. These people were not kind. Apuleius worked very hard. He carried many things. His life was hard. He was tired.
Apuleius liked food. He liked cakes. He liked sweets. His masters had cakes. He ate them in secret. He loved the sweet taste.
His masters saw him eat. They were surprised. They laughed. People heard about him. He was a special ass. A kind rich man bought him. His name was Thyasus.
Apuleius lived with Thyasus. He had a good home. He did tricks. He ate sweets. Five years passed. But Apuleius felt sad. He wanted to be a boy again.
Apuleius ran away. He went to the sea. He wanted to be human. He really wanted to be a boy.
He saw a happy parade. It was for a special lady. A high priest was there. He wore a wreath. The wreath had roses.
The priest saw Apuleius. He saw his sad eyes. The priest felt kind. He took a rose. He gave it to Apuleius.
Apuleius ate the rose. Poof! He changed back. He was a boy again. He felt very happy. He thanked the priest. He joined the parade. He was full of joy.
Apuleius was very happy. He was thankful to be a boy again. He learned to be kind and to work hard. He lived happily ever after.
Original Story
HOW THE ASS BECAME A MAN AGAIN
Once upon a time there lived a young man who would do nothing from morning till night but amuse himself. His parents were dead and had left him plenty of money, but this was fast vanishing, and his friends shook their heads sadly, for when the money was gone they did not see where more was to come from. It was not that Apuleius (for that was the name of the youth) was stupid. He might have been a good soldier, or a scholar, or a worker in gold, if so it had pleased him, but from a child he had refused to do anything useful, and roamed about the city all day long in search of adventures. The only kind of learning to which he paid any heed was magic, and when he was in the house he would spend hours poring over great books of spells.
Fond though he was of sorcery, he was too lazy to leave the town and its pleasures—the chariot-racing, the theatre, and the wrestling, and to travel in search of the wizards who were renowned for their skill in the art. However, the time came when, very unwillingly, he was forced to take a journey into Thessaly, to see to the proper working of some silver mines in which he had a share, and Thessaly, as everybody knows, is the home of all magic. So when Apuleius arrived at the town of Hypata, where dwelt the man Milo, overseer of his mines, he was prepared to believe that all he saw was enchanted.
Now, if Thessaly is the country of magic, it is also the country of robbers, and Apuleius soon noticed that everybody he met was in fear of them. Indeed, they made this fear the excuse for all sorts of mean and foolish ways. For instance, Milo, who loved money and could not bear to spend a farthing, refused to have any seats in his house that could be removed, and in consequence there was nothing to sit upon except two marble chairs fixed to the wall. As there was only room in these for one person, the wife of Milo had to retire to her own chamber when the young man entered.
‘It was no use,’ explained Milo, ‘in laying out money on moveable seats, with robbers about. They would be sure to hear of it and to break into the house.’
Unlike his guest, Milo was always occupied in adding to his wealth in one form or another. Sometimes he sent down a train of mules to the sea, and bought merchandise which the ships had carried from Babylon or Egypt, to sell it again at a high price. Then he dealt in sheep and cattle, and when he thought he might do so with safety made false returns of the silver that was dug up from the mines, and kept the difference for himself. But most often he lent large sums at high interest to the young men of the neighbourhood, and so cunning was he that, whoever else might be ruined, Milo managed to make large profits.
Apuleius knew very well that his steward was in his way as great a robber as any in Thessaly, but, as usual, he found it too much trouble to look into the matter. So he laughed and jested with the miser, and next morning went out to the public baths and then took a stroll through the city. It was full of statues of the famous men to whom Hypata had given birth; but as Apuleius had made up his mind that nothing in Thessaly could be what it seemed, he supposed that they were living people who had fallen under enchantment, and that the oxen whom he met driven through the streets had once been men and women.
One evening he was returning as usual from a walk when he saw from afar three figures before Milo’s house, who he at once guessed were trying to force an entrance. ‘Here is an adventure at last,’ thought he, and, keeping in the shadow, he stole softly up behind them, and drawing his short sword he stabbed each one to the heart. Then, without waiting to see what more would befall, he left them where they were and entered the house by a door at the back.
He said nothing of what had happened to Milo his host, but the next day, before he had left his bed, a summons was brought him by one of the slaves to appear before the court at noon on a charge of murder. As has been seen, Apuleius was a brave man and did not fear to face three times his number, but his heart quailed at the thought of a public trial. Still, he was wise enough to know that there was no help for it, and at the hour appointed he was in his place.
The first witnesses against him were two women with black veils covering them from head to foot. At the sound of the herald’s trumpet, one of the two stepped forward and accused him of compassing the death of her husband. When she had ended her plaint the herald blew another blast, and another veiled woman came forward and charged him with her son’s murder. Then the herald inquired if there was not yet a third victim, but was answered that his wound was slight, and that he was able to roam through the city.
After the witnesses had been called, the judge pronounced sentence. Apuleius the murderer was condemned to death, but he must first of all be tortured, so that he might reveal the names of the men who had abetted him. By order of the court, horrible instruments were brought forward which chilled the blood of Apuleius in his veins. But to his surprise, when he looked round to see if none would be his friend, he noticed that every one, from the judge to the herald, was shaking with laughter. His amazement was increased when with a trembling voice one of the women demanded that the bodies should be produced, so that the judge might be induced to feel more pity and to order more tortures. The judge assented to this, and two bodies were carried into court shrouded in wrappings, and the order was given that Apuleius himself should remove the wrappings.
The face of the young man grew white as he heard the words of the judge, for even a hardened criminal cares but little to touch the corpse of a man whom he has murdered. But he dared not disobey, and walked slowly to the place where the dead bodies lay. He shrank for a moment as he took the cloth in his hand, but his guards were behind him, and calling up all his courage he withdrew it. A shout of laughter pealed out behind him, and to his amazement he saw that his victims of the previous night had been three huge leather bottles and not men at all!
As soon as Apuleius found out the trick that had been played on him he was no less amused than the rest, but in the midst of his mirth a sudden thought struck him.
‘How was it you managed to make them alive?’ asked he, ‘for alive they were, and battering themselves against the door of the house.’
‘Oh, that is simple enough when one has a sorceress for a mistress,’ answered a damsel, who was standing by. ‘She burned the hairs of some goats and wove spells over them, so that the animals to whom the hairs and skins had once belonged became endowed with life and tried to enter their former dwelling.’
‘They may well say that Thessaly is the home of wonders,’ cried the young man. ‘But do you think that your mistress would let me see her at work? I would pay her well—and you also,’ he added.
‘It might be managed perhaps, without her knowledge,’ answered Fotis, for such was the girl’s name; ‘but you must hold yourself in readiness after nightfall, for I cannot tell what evening she may choose to cast off her own shape.’
Apuleius promised readily that he would not stir out after sunset, and the damsel went her way.
That very evening, Hesperus had scarcely risen from his bed when Fotis knocked at the door of the house.
APULEIUS CHANGES INTO AN ASS
‘Come hither, and quickly,’ she said; and without stopping to question her Apuleius hastened by her side to the dwelling of the witch Pamphile. Entering softly, they crept along a dark passage, where they could peep through a crack in the wall and see Pamphile at work. She was in the act of rubbing her body with essences from a long row of bottles which stood in a cupboard in the wall, chanting to herself spells as she did so. Slowly, feathers began to sprout from her head to her feet. Her arms vanished, her nails became claws, her eyes grew round and her nose hooked, and a little brown owl flew out of the window.
‘Well, are you satisfied?’ asked Fotis; but Apuleius shook his head.
‘Not yet,’ he answered. ‘I want to know how she transforms herself into a woman again.’
‘That is quite easy, you may be sure,’ replied Fotis. ‘My mistress never runs any risks. A cup of water from a spring, with some laurel leaves and anise floating in it, is all that she needs. I have seen her do it a thousand times.’
‘Turn me into a nightingale, then, and I will give you five hundred sesterces,’ cried Apuleius eagerly; and Fotis, tempted by the thought of so much money, agreed to do what he wished.
But either Fotis was not so skilful as she thought herself, or in her hurry she neglected to observe that the bird bottles were all on one shelf, and the beast bottles on another, for when she had rubbed the ointment over the young man’s chest something fearful happened. Instead of his arms disappearing, they stretched downwards; his back became bent, his face long and narrow, while a browny-grey fur covered his body. Apuleius had been changed, not into a nightingale, but into an ass!
A loud scream broke from Fotis when she saw what she had done, and Apuleius, glancing at a polished mirror from Corinth which hung on the walls, beheld with horror the fate that had overtaken him.
‘Quick, quick! fetch the water, and I will seek for the laurels and anise,’ he cried. ‘I do not want to be an ass at all; my arms and back are aching already, and if I am not swiftly restored to my own shape I shall not be able to overthrow the champion in the wrestling match to-morrow.’
So Fotis ran out to draw the water from the spring, while Apuleius opened some boxes with his teeth, and soon found the anise and laurels. But alas! Fotis had deceived herself. The charm which was meant for a bird would not work with a beast, and, what was worse, when Apuleius tried to speak to her and beg her to try something else, he found he could only bray!
In despair the girl took down the book of spells, and began to turn over the pages; while the ass, who was still a man in all but his outward form, glanced eagerly down them also. At length he gave a loud bray of satisfaction, and rubbed his nose on a part of the long scroll.
‘Of course, I remember now,’ cried Fotis with delight. ‘What a comfort that nothing more is needed to restore you to your proper shape than a handful of rose leaves!
The mind of Apuleius was now quite easy, but his spirits fell again when Fotis reminded him that he could no longer expect to be received by his friends, but must lie in the stable of Milo, with his own horse, and be tended, if he was tended at all, by his own servant.
‘However, it will not be for long,’ she added consolingly. ‘In the corner of the stable is a little shrine to the goddess of horses, and every day fresh roses are placed before it. Before the sun sets to-morrow you will be yourself again.’
Slowly and shyly Apuleius slunk along lonely paths till he came to the stable of Milo. The door was open, but, as he entered, his horse, who was fastened with a sliding cord, kicked wildly at him, and caught him right on the shoulder. But before the horse could deal another blow Apuleius had sprung hastily on one side, and had hidden himself in a dark corner, where he slept soundly.
The moon was shining brightly when he awoke, and looking round he saw, as Fotis had told him, the shrine of Hippone, with a branch of sweet-smelling pink roses lying before it. It was rather high up, he thought, but, when he reared himself on his hind legs, he would surely be tall enough to reach it. So up he got, and trod softly over the straw, till he drew near the shrine, when with a violent effort he threw up his forelegs into the air. Yes! it was all right, his nose was quite near the roses; but just as he opened his mouth his balance gave way, and his front feet came heavily on the floor.
The noise brought the man, who was sleeping in another part of the stable.
‘Oh, I see what you are at, you ugly beast,’ cried he; ‘would you eat roses that I put there for the goddess? I don’t know who may be your master, or how you got here, but I will take care that you do no more mischief.’ So saying, he struck the ass several times with his fists, and then, putting a rope round his neck, tied him up in another part of the stable.
Now it happened that an hour or two later some of the most desperate robbers in all Thessaly broke into the house of Milo, and, unheard by anyone, took all the bags of money that the miser had concealed under some loose stones in his cellar. It was clear that they could not carry away such heavy plunder without risk of the crime being discovered, but they managed to get it quietly as far as the stable, where they gave the horse some apples to put it in a good temper, while they thrust a turnip into the mouth of Apuleius, who did not like it at all. Then they led out both the animals, and placed the sacks of money on their backs, after which they all set out for the robbers’ cave in the side of the mountain. As this, however, was some distance off, it took them many hours to reach it, and on the way they passed through a large deserted garden, where rose bushes of all sorts grew like weeds. The pulse of Apuleius bounded at the sight, and he had already stretched out his nose towards them, when he suddenly remembered that if he should turn into a man in his present company he would probably be murdered by the robbers. With a great effort, he left the roses alone, and tramped steadily on his way.
It were long indeed to tell the adventures of Apuleius and the number of masters whom he served. After some time he was captured by a soldier, and by him sold to two brothers, one a cook and the other a maker of pastry, who were attached to the service of a rich man who lived in the country. This man did not allow any of his slaves to dwell in his house, except those who attended on him personally, and these two brothers lived in a tent on the other side of the garden, and the ass was given to them to send to and fro with savoury dishes in his panniers.
The cook and his brother were both careful men, and always had a great store of pastry and sweet things on their shelves, so that none might be lacking if their lord should command them. When they had done their work they placed water and food for their donkey in a little shed which opened on to the tent, then, fastening the door so that no one could enter, they went out to enjoy the evening air.
On their return, it struck them that the tent looked unusually bare, and at length they perceived that this was because every morsel of pastry and sweets on the shelves had disappeared, and nothing was left of them, not so much as a crumb. There was no room for a thief to hide, so the two brothers supposed that, impossible though it seemed, he must not only have got in but out by the door, and, as their master might send for a tray of cakes at any moment, there was no help for it but to make a fresh supply. And so they did, and it took them more than half the night to do it.
The next evening the same thing happened again; and the next, and the next, and the next.
Then, by accident, the cook went into the shed where the ass lay, and discovered a heap of corn and hay that reached nearly to the roof.
‘Ah, you rascal!’ he exclaimed, bursting out laughing as he spoke. ‘So it is you who have cost us our sleep! Well, well, I dare say I should have done the same myself, for cakes and sweets are certainly nicer than corn and hay.’ And the donkey brayed in answer, and winked an eye at him, and, more amused than before, the man went away to tell his brother.
Of course it was not long before the story reached the ears of their master, who instantly sent to buy the donkey, and bade one of his servants, who had a taste for such things, teach him fresh tricks. This the man was ready enough to do, for the fame of this wonderful creature soon spread far and wide, and the citizens of the town thronged the doors of his stable. And while the servant reaped much gold by making the ass display his accomplishments, the master gained many friends among the people, and was soon made chief ruler.
For five years Apuleius stayed in the house of Thyasus, and ate as many sweet cakes as he chose; and if he wanted more than were given him he wandered down to the tent of his old masters, and swept the shelves bare as of yore. At the end of the five years Thyasus proclaimed that a great feast would be held in his garden, after which plays would be acted, and in one of them his donkey should appear.
Now, though Apuleius loved eating and drinking, he was not at all fond of doing tricks in public, and as the day drew near he grew more and more resolved that he would take no part in the entertainment. So one warm moonlight night he stole out of his stable, and galloped as fast as he could for ten miles, when he reached the sea. He was hot and tired with his long run, and the sea looked cool and pleasant.
‘It is years since I have had a bath,’ thought he, ‘or wetted anything but my feet. I will take one now; it will make me feel like a man again’; and into the water he went, and splashed about with joy, which would much have surprised anyone who had seen him, for asses do not in general care about washing.
When he came back to dry land once more, he shook himself all over, and held his head first on one side and then on the other, so that the water might run out of his long ears. After that he felt quite comfortable, and lay down to sleep under a tree.
He was awakened some hours later by the sound of voices singing a hymn, and, raising his head, he saw a vast crowd of people trooping down to the shore to hold the festival of their goddess, and in their midst walked the high priest crowned with a wreath of roses.
At this sight hope was born afresh in the heart of Apuleius. It was long indeed since he had beheld any roses, for Thyasus fancied they made him ill, and would not suffer anyone to grow them in the city. So he drew near to the priest as he passed by, and gazed at him so wistfully that, moved by some sudden impulse, the pontiff lifted the wreath from his head, and held it out to him, while the people drew on one side, feeling that something was happening which they did not understand.
Scarcely had Apuleius swallowed one of the roses, when the ass’s skin fell from him, his back straightened itself, and his face once more became fair and rosy. Then he turned and joined in the hymn, and there was not a man among them all with a sweeter voice or more thankful spirit than that of Apuleius.
[Apuleius, The Golden Ass.]
Story DNA
Moral
Idleness and a fascination with forbidden knowledge can lead to unforeseen and difficult consequences, but perseverance and a stroke of luck can lead to redemption.
Plot Summary
Apuleius, a wealthy but idle young man fascinated by magic, travels to Thessaly. His curiosity leads him to witness a sorceress's transformation, but when he tries to replicate it, he accidentally turns himself into an ass. As an ass, he endures years of hardship, cruelty, and various masters, constantly seeking roses, which he learns are the key to his human form. After escaping his final master, he encounters a religious festival where a high priest offers him a wreath of roses, finally allowing him to transform back into a man and reclaim his identity.
Themes
Emotional Arc
carefree to suffering to triumph
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
This story is an adaptation of Apuleius's 'The Golden Ass' (Metamorphoses), a Roman novel from the 2nd century AD, which satirized Roman society and explored philosophical themes through a picaresque narrative.
Plot Beats (15)
- Apuleius, a rich but lazy young man obsessed with magic, travels to Thessaly, a land of magic and robbers, to oversee his silver mines.
- He stays with Milo, a miserly overseer, and, believing everything is enchanted, mistakenly kills three leather bottles he thinks are robbers.
- Apuleius is put on trial for murder, but the 'victims' are revealed to be enchanted leather bottles, and the whole town laughs at the prank.
- Intrigued by the magic, Apuleius bribes Fotis, Milo's servant and the sorceress Pamphile's mistress, to show him Pamphile's transformations.
- Apuleius secretly watches Pamphile turn into an owl, then tries to replicate the spell using the wrong ointment, transforming himself into an ass.
- Fotis promises him that eating roses will break the spell, but he is unable to reach them before being discovered and beaten by a stableman.
- He is stolen by robbers, forced to carry their loot, and endures a difficult journey to their mountain cave.
- Apuleius is sold to various cruel masters, experiencing the harsh life of a beast of burden and witnessing human depravity.
- He discovers a fondness for human food, particularly cakes and sweets, which he secretly eats from his masters, a cook and a pastry maker.
- His unusual eating habits are discovered, amusing his masters, and his fame spreads, leading him to be bought by a rich ruler, Thyasus.
- Apuleius lives comfortably for five years as Thyasus's pet, performing tricks and eating sweets, but grows weary of his public role.
- He escapes Thyasus's estate and goes to the sea for a bath, feeling a longing to be human again.
- He encounters a procession for a goddess, led by a high priest wearing a wreath of roses.
- The high priest, moved by Apuleius's wistful gaze, offers him a rose from his wreath.
- Apuleius eats the rose, immediately transforms back into a man, and joyfully joins the festival, filled with gratitude.
Characters
Apuleius
Before his transformation, he was a young man of unspecified height and build, but with a 'fair and rosy' face upon returning to human form, suggesting a healthy, perhaps slightly pampered, appearance. As an ass, he was a typical donkey, capable of carrying heavy loads.
Attire: As a young man of means, he would have worn a tunic and toga, likely of fine linen or wool, though no specific colors or styles are detailed. As an ass, he wore panniers for carrying goods.
Wants: Initially, to seek amusement and adventure. Later, to survive his transformation and return to human form.
Flaw: Laziness, hedonism, and a naive belief in the enchantment of Thessaly, which led to his initial predicament.
Transforms from a lazy, pleasure-seeking young man into an ass, enduring hardship and servitude. He learns resilience and humility through his experiences, eventually regaining his human form and a 'thankful spirit'.
Lazy, adventurous (initially), brave (when facing robbers), curious (about magic), resourceful (as an ass), fond of pleasures, intelligent (could have been many things), thankful (after transformation).
Milo
No specific physical description is given, but he is characterized by his miserly nature, suggesting a man who prioritizes wealth over comfort or appearance.
Attire: Likely simple, practical clothing, perhaps worn and mended, reflecting his miserly nature, consistent with a wealthy but frugal Roman-era overseer in Thessaly.
Wants: To accumulate and preserve wealth at all costs.
Flaw: His extreme greed and fear of losing money, which makes him unpleasant and untrustworthy.
Remains static, a representation of greed and fear.
Miserly, cunning, greedy, fearful (of robbers, used as an excuse for his miserliness), dishonest (making false returns from mines).
Milo's Wife
Not described, but her forced retirement to her chamber due to lack of seating suggests a subservient or traditional role in the household.
Attire: Likely simple, modest clothing appropriate for a woman of a wealthy household in ancient Thessaly, perhaps a stola and palla, but not extravagant due to Milo's miserliness.
Wants: To maintain household order and adhere to her husband's rules.
Flaw: Her lack of agency within her own home.
Remains static.
Obedient, quiet, perhaps resigned to her husband's eccentricities.
The Cook
No specific description, but as a cook, he might be of a sturdy build, accustomed to physical labor in a kitchen.
Attire: Practical, simple tunic and apron, possibly stained from his work, typical of a servant in a wealthy Roman-era household.
Wants: To serve his master well and ensure a constant supply of food.
Flaw: Initially perplexed by the disappearing sweets.
Discovers the ass's secret and finds amusement in it, leading to the ass's promotion.
Careful (about provisions), observant (noticing missing sweets), amused (by the ass's antics), understanding (empathizing with the ass's desire for cakes).
The Pastry Maker
No specific description, but as a pastry maker, he would also be accustomed to kitchen work.
Attire: Practical, simple tunic and apron, possibly dusted with flour, typical of a servant in a wealthy Roman-era household.
Wants: To serve his master well and ensure a constant supply of sweets.
Flaw: Unable to solve the mystery of the disappearing sweets on his own.
Remains static, a diligent worker.
Careful (about provisions), perplexed (by disappearing sweets), diligent (working half the night to replenish stock).
Thyasus
Described as a 'rich man' and later 'chief ruler', suggesting a man of status, likely well-fed and well-maintained.
Attire: As a rich man and chief ruler in a Roman-era setting, he would wear fine tunics and togas, possibly with purple trim indicating his status, made of luxurious fabrics like fine wool or silk.
Wants: To enjoy his wealth, gain influence, and be entertained.
Flaw: His superstition regarding roses.
Rises in social status due to his ownership of the famous ass.
Wealthy, influential, appreciative of entertainment, somewhat superstitious (fancied roses made him ill), ambitious (became chief ruler).
The High Priest
No specific description, but he is crowned with a wreath of roses and leads a festival, suggesting a dignified and spiritual presence.
Attire: Ceremonial robes appropriate for a high priest of a goddess in ancient Thessaly, likely white or light-colored linen, possibly with symbolic embroidery, and a distinctive wreath.
Wants: To lead the festival and honor his goddess.
Flaw: None apparent.
Serves as the catalyst for Apuleius's final transformation.
Spiritual, observant (noticing the ass's wistful gaze), impulsive (lifting the wreath), compassionate (moved by the ass).
Locations
Milo's House in Hypata, Thessaly
A frugal, sparsely furnished house in the town of Hypata, known for its magic and robbers. The interior features two marble chairs fixed to the wall, serving as the only seating, reflecting Milo's fear of theft and his miserly nature. The house has a back door.
Mood: Suspenseful, unwelcoming, frugal, slightly eerie due to the magical context of Thessaly.
Apuleius confronts what he believes are robbers outside, leading to his arrest and the 'trial' where he is tricked.
The Robbers' Mountain Cave
A hidden lair within the side of a mountain, serving as the base for a band of robbers. It is a secure, remote location where stolen goods and captives (like Apuleius in his ass form) are brought.
Mood: Dangerous, foreboding, rustic, secretive.
Apuleius, transformed into an ass, is brought here with stolen money, narrowly avoiding eating roses that would transform him back.
Thyasus's Country Estate Garden
A large, well-maintained garden belonging to a rich man named Thyasus. It features a tent where servants live and a shed for the donkey. Roses are notably absent from the garden, as Thyasus believes they make him ill.
Mood: Peaceful, prosperous, yet with a hint of mystery due to the donkey's secret activities.
Apuleius, as an ass, secretly devours pastries from the cook's tent, and later escapes from this garden.
The Seashore at Dawn
A tranquil stretch of coastline where the land meets the sea. The water is cool and inviting. A vast crowd gathers here for a religious festival, with a high priest leading the procession.
Mood: Serene, hopeful, sacred, climactic.
Apuleius, as an ass, bathes in the sea, then encounters the high priest and eats the roses, transforming him back into a man.