The Legend Of The Donkey Lady
Being a San Antonio native I had heard of the “Donkey Lady Bridge” but never been there.
How the Donkey Lady came to be varies by storyteller, but most people agree that she was badly disfigured and lost her children in a fire set by her husband. Some say she’s a ghost, others say she’s a supernatural creature. But the Lady is instantly recognizable; her fingers and toes are fused together, giving the appearance of hooves.
The strange figure can be seen on “Donkey Lady Bridge,” which crosses Elm creek via Applewhite Road. But don’t approach her: she pounces on her victims, viciously ripping them apart.
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Some say that the thing that appears at the end of Jett Rd. In San Antonio Texas is a ghost, while others believe it to be a creature of unimaginable horror. Whatever it is, it haunts the minds of young children and entices teenagers to test their bravery on what locals call Donkey Lady Bridge.
The Urban Legend is a well-known San Antonio legend which has many variations and eye-witness encounters and on this episode we will reveal the mystery of Donkey Lady Bridge. This is Unsolved Mysteries of the World, Season Two, Episode Three, The Donkey Lady.
Whatever the Donkey Lady is, a ghost, or a physical creature, she is said to roam the woods around the end of Jett Rd and will appear on the bridge. She is said to jump upon your vehicle as you cross the bridge and damage the body with her hooves. Anyone capturing a glimpse will no doubt scream in horror, as they see what appears to be a woman with a donkey face.
Like all urban legends there are various stories surrounding the inception. One story tells of a woman who lived in the nearby woods in the 1950s who was attacked by her drunk husband one night. The husband set her house on fire, killing her children and badly burning the woman.
She was terribly disfigured in the fire, fusing her fingers and toes together creating hoof-like hands and feet. Her head was so badly burned in the fire that it healed in such a warped, elongated way, it resembled that of a donkey.
Legend tells that she is roaming the forested area by the tragedy in search for her children. If you honk your horn, it is said she will be alerted and chase you down.
While some chalk up these encounters to the power of suggestion, emboldened by campfire stories and folklore, others firmly believe in her existence as a protector of the land, cursed to roam forever between two worlds. Those who swear by her supernatural credentials tell tales of her helping lost travelers find their way back, while others warn that crossing her path could lead to misfortune or madness.
The duality of the Donkey Lady—both a tragic figure and a fearsome entity—underscores the rich tapestry of urban legends, reminding us of the thin veil between reality and myth, fear and fascination. Whether a ghost or a creature of folklore, the Donkey Lady continues to linger in the collective consciousness, embodying the region’s cultural heritage and a deep-seated fear of the unknown.
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