| A Word Edgewise by Mary Joe Clendenin |
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| A Word Edgewise by Mary Joe Clendenin |
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"STUBBORN AS A MULE" MAY BE A COMPLIMENT
It was never meant for a compliment when someone called you "Stubborn as a mule," or told you you were getting long-headed, maybe stubbornness is not a trait to be proud of even for a mule. But mules have had their day. They were the mainstay for many operations in the history of this country, and Muleshoe, Texas doesn't want the worthy animal to be forgotten. Every July they have a Mule Day Celebration.
Stephenville may boast of its fiberglass moo-cow, and Snyder is proud to have a monument of a white buffalo, but Muleshoe has a fiberglass salute to the balky mule. On the plains of Texas where the fertility of the land and water for irrigation of broad, flat acres made big-time farming possible, it was the mule that paved the way. In 1923, to cut and thresh 100 acres of wheat in a day, required twenty-six mules. L. T. Mayhugh, Plainview, Texas, was a mule breeder. A span of mules brought $500 while a span of heavy draft horses sold for only $400. He didn't specialize in white mules, but to see a white mule means you will have good luck--cancels out the black cat luck.
Calling a mule stubborn does not deny its intelligence. Many stories tell of the smart mule that knew what was possible and what was not. Once upon a time a farmer a mule to his cart to do a bit of work. Things went well as the man loaded the cart until he got to the weight the mule set as his limit. The mule balked, and no amount of beating, threatening, pushing, pulling, could coax the critter to move. In desperation the man thought, "I know what I'll do. I'll just build a fire under that fool of a mule." He got some straw and proceeded to do just that. As the fire began to burn, the mule moved--he took three steps-- until the fire was under the cart.
It hasn't been many years since every clean kitchen had a can of 20-Mule Team Borax in it. The name came from the enterprising man who devised a way to haul borax from Death Valley, California, where temperature some days reached 130 degrees and no water was available. The mules were hitched to two wagons in tandem, with rear wheels seven feet in diameter, which could haul 36 tons, not only of borax, but of water, food, and fodder to supply the crew and animals throughout the ten day trek. No other animal could stand the heat and do the work.
Every old-timer who worked with mules has his favorite story to tell, usually displaying the cunning or intelligence of the animal. One of the mules that dad owned was called Old Kate. She could undo any gate chain, or other fastener that was intended to keep her penned at night and go pretty well where she pleased--she usually pleased to show up in the morning in time to be fed with the others. If her supper had not seemed adequate to her, she might have decided to open the corn crib where extra ground food was kept for the milk cows. She would help herself to that dessert--but she didn't bother to learn to shut gates behind her.
One time, Old Kate saved Cousin Maxine and I from a scolding. It was persimmon time, and Maxine and I took a liking to the ones which had crossed with the Tamapan, were dark inside, and good to eat while they were yet firm. No one could tell from looking at the outside, which persimmons were of this type, so she and I plugged them to see, like people plug watermelons to check the ripeness. I could plug them with my thumb nail, but Maxine chewed her finger nails. She resorted to bitting a plug out, and we left the tested ones hanging on the tree.
We had thus tested the fruit of a tree near the packing house which dad found. He didn't know about our tricks, so he blamed Old Kate for the plugs in the persimmons. We never did thank Kate, but I'll bet she brayed in glee.
John Walker, in an article in TEXAS HIGHWAYS, spoke of the need to pair mules well. When paired with a horse, the mule will figure out how to make the horse do most of the work. With a well matched pair of mules each knows what the other will term fair and divide the work evenly to help each other. For instance, if one becomes entangled in the harness or a piece of wire, the other will stand patiently until the team mate is released.
Maybe being compared to a mule isn't such an insult after all. Even stubbornness has its value. Without that particular trait a couple would never remain married for fifty plus years.