by ozzietwo
Ass - a small, usually grey, long-eared animal of the horse genus.
Arse - the posteriors of an animal - so says the "Chamber's Twentieth Century Dictionary"
Arse is proper English and is from Old English and is very much in common useage. Read any of the old erotic English erotic classics, Lady Chatterly's Lover for instance. And a woman's arse is a beautiful thing.
Anyway, what does it matter - each to their own.
Years ago some Americans were too prudish to say Arse so they said Ass instead. Saying 'you are an ass' does NOT mean the same thing in British English as it does in American English.
Superb story, nicely told. Great imagery, appealing characters. Keep it up! Pay no attention to the ass/arse nit-pickers.