"How long d'you think it'll take, ma?", asked Stephen.
"It's hard to say. Once a mortal has taken part of my powers, I - we - are weaker. Keeping ourselves disguised will use all of my ability. We must get the mortal boy Jeff to bring about his own downfall."
"But, ma, wasn't my pa a mortal? Doesn't that make me half mortal? Anyway, what really happened to him all those years ago?"
The approaching footsteps signalled to Madame Illusia that there was no more time for answering Stephen's questions. Quickly, she made a complicated gesture with both hands, transforming her son into the old man and herself into his wife.
"Mornin' son, how are them there jackasses today? Jumpin' around and about in their stalls I don't doubt, trying to break down the walls I'll be bound." Jeff wondered why the old lady was doing the talking.
"They're fine", he replied, "S'pose they're a little excited to have someone new look after them."
"Well, we was watchin' you earlier, and we think you have a mighty fine way with jackasses", continued the old lady. "Seems like they was greeting an old friend."
Jeff grinned at the elderly couple as they offered him breakfast.
"Pity really they're all having to be going next week."
Jeff's face fell. "Going where?", he asked.
"Well, we can't afford to keep them, eating hay and taking up space. They're not working beasts, and there's too many boys among them. We'll have to sell them on for their meat and hides. You mustn't worry though, we'll still need a lad like you to help around the farm. P'raps you can help us band them tomorrow."
"Band them?", Jeff asked.
"Yes, band them, put bands round their balls, might stop them breaking down the stable walls." She winked at him. "Tell you what, we might need to band you too to keep you from chasing after girls and leaving us!"
"Isn't there anything we could do to keep the donkeys?, Jeff pleaded.
"Not at the moment. If we had a few more jennies for them we could open up a stud farm, but we can't afford that now."
Jeff finished his breakfast in silence, then got up and went out to the donkeys. He knew that he needed to save his friends from being castrated and then sold for slaughter.
The old man and his wife waited until he had left the room, then smiled broadly at each other.