Marco ashamed of his current condition stuck to the alleys as he worked his way back to Nathan's place. He was sure Nathan would be able to reverse the curse.
Giovanni Capelli sighed, as he knelt over his old nag's still warm corpse. She'd been pulling his fruit cart to the Farmer's Market for nigh on eighteen years, but this morning her heart had failed her. Oh, sure Giovanni could afford a truck, but his customers generally paid three times the amount his fruit was worth to buy it off a genuine horse drawn cart. It was a marketing ploy. Now he was stuck in an alley with a load of fruit and a dead horse. If he didn't get to the Farmer's Market, he'd be stuck with a load of rotting fruit.
Just then Marco started up the alley. He didn't expect to find anyone and was startled when Giovanni stood up.
"Oh, I didn't see you, I'm just on my way back from a masquerade," Marco said to explain his Donkeylike appearance.
"Ah, kind sir, you're a big man, perhaps you could help get the harness off Nellie and push my cart out into the street?" he asked.
Marco wanted to say no, but his new form was compelled by Nathan's wish to be an obedient domesticated beast of burden. So he bent down, and helped the man remove Nellie's harness. Then before he knew it, Marco had strapped the harness around his torso and begun to pull the cart. Giovanni was amazed.
"My you are strong, Mr. Donkeyman! I wish you were a full fledged donkey so you could haul my crops to the Farmer's Market. Ah---OH!" he expressed surprise as Marco dropped to all fours and grew in mass. He became a complete donkey at his master's request, and he barely realized what had happened, as all his will was focused on pulling the cart to the plaza.
Giovanni hopped up into the driver's seat. Tipped his hat to Nellie, and took the reins to direct Marco. "Gidyap! Now what should I call you?"
"My name's Marco," Marco answered through the bit in his mouth.
"Aha, a talking donkey? I'd have expected Francis! But Marco is a good Italian name. However, Marco, you must not speak, unless I tell you to, do you understand?" Marco nodded. Giovanni explained, "I don't want you to scare away my customers."
Giovanni enjoyed one of his best days ever selling fruit. Tourists came up to get their photos with the man in the donkey cart and of course they paid Giovanni's outrageous prices for his fruit. The sun was waning in the sky, the cart was mostly empty, and Giovanni directed Marco to his home on the edge of town. Marco seemed antsy, and Giovanni gave him permission to speak.
"I'm supposed to be at work by 6pm. I'm a policeman or I was," Marco moaned.
Giovanni grinned, "You became a donkey when I asked you to become one, maybe you'll become a man again if I ask. But I have to ask just right!" he said recalling all his fairy tales at his grandmother's knee.
"Marco, I command you to become a man for 12 hours, and then return to this stall with your all your money and clothing, and transform back into my donkey, until I say otherwise. From now on man or beast, you're working for me!"