The Surprising Daisy

When I was 21 years old and still lived in South Africa, I was obliged for one year to come to Italy in order to pay my dues in the Italian Military Air Force.

I left S.A. by myself and I went to Italy to stay with my uncle and my aunt who suggested that I go and stay on their farm. This would help prepare me to get fit and healthy for the physical exercise lessons and other army-drills that were waiting for me.

I thought of going there to relax, sun tan, go for long walks in the forest and the hills that surrounded the farm.

Little did I know that my uncle had other plans for me. He asked me to meet him at six a.m. at breakfast the day after, so as to tell me my daily chores. I came here for a holiday, what has he got in his head, he must be crazy I thought.

At 6 a.m. I went into the kitchen yawning loudly, sat down on the only free chair and the old man poured me some black coffee which was very strong. While I was drinking it gladly, he went on to explain that working on the farm for a period was the only way to get fit, strong and tough. Together with the good food and his special wine I would certainly be able to face any army.

I finally agreed and we started our round to see the farm. At the end of the morning I knew exactly what I had to do. The old man was right because after the first painful week, where I got blisters on my hands, sun-burned on my neck and my back ached, the following days I felt much better and could get on with my work with less effort.

Photo by thornypup

The first chore in the morning I had to do was to take care of the numerous animals which lived on the farm. The first on the list were the pigs, they wanted their breakfast before the others because they yelled the loudest, so I started with them, I brought in the pigpen huge pumpkins especially grown for them and they loved their food very much, all I had to do was to chop up the pumpkin with a small axe and then throw the pieces into a big manger where the fastest pigs would gobble-up everything.

The chickens that were waiting for me in the yard got a sack of crushed corn seeds and they occupied much of their time pecking off the ground.

The last animal that I took care of was Daisy, a milk cow. She loved fresh grass for breakfast, so I would carry a huge basket full of green freshly cut grass and put it in front of her and before she started chewing she would thank me with a big lick with her rough tongue on my arm. I particularly liked Daisy, she was white with small black spots on her coat, a long tail and big sharp horns. One day after I had finished my work I started thinking about her and I wondered for how long she had been in that stable, so I decided to go and visit her. Looking at her carefully I saw that she had very long foot-nails, they looked somewhat like fins and I felt very sorry for her. It was obvious that she could not walk in those conditions and I decided to shorten them by using an iron-hacksaw and a good old file which I found in the shed. After having got the nails down to size, Daisy seemed to have appreciated the treatment received, she mooed softly it sounded like “thank you”.

I had the idea to take her for a walk. In the shed I found a length of rope which I proceeded to tie around the base of her horns. As I feared that the bright sun light outside the stable would hurt her eyes, I decided before going out, to open the window in the wall in front of her, so that she could get used to the light. The window had not been opened for years, the handle and the frame were completely rusted and it was not an easy job to get it open. I finally succeeded and the sun light came into the stable to brighten it up. Daisy blinked and shut her eyes for a while but then opened them again and followed me slowly to the stable door.

Photo by QbiT

From the outside I gently pulled the rope and encouraged her to follow me. She did so walking slowly on her weak legs. She probably walked for the first time and we went around the farm. She seemed to be very interested in looking at everything: the other animals, all the plants, the huge hay-stack, the tractor … She was so happy that when we finally got back to the stable door, to my surprise she did not want to go in. She refused to take another step, so I had to call for help. My uncle and two of his friends “gently” pushed her in her place in the stable as she skidded all the way. My uncle and his friends left and I remained yet a while to scratch her ears and her back. She liked this treatment a lot. 
Before I left we looked each other in the eyes and she knew I would take her out again the next day.

For the rest of my stay on the farm every afternoon Daisy and I went for a walk without the rope, which was not needed because she just followed me like a puppy dog.

I often think of the walks that Daisy and I took together around the farm and I will never forget her satisfied expression in discovering the new world outside her stable. Every day she showed me her appreciation for the possibility of getting outdoors for some hours. She also grew stronger and healthier, therefore started to make more milk to the great surprise of the farm workers.

I remember that time as a wonderful experience, because to enter in communication with an animal so often taken for granted was fascinating for me. Daisy understood all my gestures very well, obeyed me and she also made herself understood.

I don’t know why, people consider these animals only as milk-machines and don’t see or consider that they also have feelings, sometimes more and better than those of some men!

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