up goes the donkey

Questions

What does up goes the donkey mean?

The performance begins.

Where does up goes the donkey come from?

Said to have originated from a travelling showman whose finale involved the hoisting of a donkey on a pole or ladder.

How to pronounce up goes the donkey

1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “up goes the donkey”.
2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “up goes the donkey”.
4. Repeat and practice — Say “up goes the donkey” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.