Parable of the Mules
Posted: Thu Aug 20, 2015 4:38 pm
Parable of the Mules
Once upon a time in the days before tractors, there was a peaceful valley of farms. One farm grew wheat, one grew cabbages, another grew tomatoes and strawberries, and several others each raised different crops.
Each farmer had a mule to pull his plow. There were all the famous mules you have read of -- Bessie, Tom, Dan, and the others. In addition, there was a strong, independent, young mule that belonged to no one and had no name, but which wandered the valley and would pull the plow for any farmer who needed extra help during the plowing season. Without the assistance of the independent mule from time to time, none of the farmers would have been able to finish their plowing and get all their various crops planted. Without the help of the extra mule, the farmers would have had to buy more mules. But with the extra mule’s periodic assistance, all the farms thrived without actually owning more than the minimum number of mules.
When the extra mule was visiting on a farm, the farmer would feed him plenty of corn to keep him strong and healthy. In fact, the independent mule frequently got more corn than the permanent mules, just to make sure he would return next year.
One by one, the mules got too old to pull the plow. Bessie was put out to pasture where she had a pleasant life eating grass and relaxing in the shade. Then Tom. Then Dan. About that time, tractors started to appear. Even though the old mules were retiring, the independent mule found himself past his prime but with no work to do and no owner.
The farmers got together to discuss who would care for this extra mule, but since no one owned him, none would allow the independent mule to retire on their pastures. Finally, the poor mule was sold to a dog food company and the farmers split the money for a little extra profit that year.
A big city reporter riding through the valley a month later stopped to do a story on all the new tractors and all the happy old mules he saw standing in the shade. He learned all about Bessie and Dan and Tom. He heard a rumor about another mule, an independent one. When he asked the name of that mule, the farmers said they just called him the contractor. He wasn't important.
Moral of the story: Mules who stay on one farm may not continue to eat corn in retirement, but at least they get to rest in the shade and eat grass. Independent mules end up getting shoveled into the garbage as the final end product of dog food.
Once upon a time in the days before tractors, there was a peaceful valley of farms. One farm grew wheat, one grew cabbages, another grew tomatoes and strawberries, and several others each raised different crops.
Each farmer had a mule to pull his plow. There were all the famous mules you have read of -- Bessie, Tom, Dan, and the others. In addition, there was a strong, independent, young mule that belonged to no one and had no name, but which wandered the valley and would pull the plow for any farmer who needed extra help during the plowing season. Without the assistance of the independent mule from time to time, none of the farmers would have been able to finish their plowing and get all their various crops planted. Without the help of the extra mule, the farmers would have had to buy more mules. But with the extra mule’s periodic assistance, all the farms thrived without actually owning more than the minimum number of mules.
When the extra mule was visiting on a farm, the farmer would feed him plenty of corn to keep him strong and healthy. In fact, the independent mule frequently got more corn than the permanent mules, just to make sure he would return next year.
One by one, the mules got too old to pull the plow. Bessie was put out to pasture where she had a pleasant life eating grass and relaxing in the shade. Then Tom. Then Dan. About that time, tractors started to appear. Even though the old mules were retiring, the independent mule found himself past his prime but with no work to do and no owner.
The farmers got together to discuss who would care for this extra mule, but since no one owned him, none would allow the independent mule to retire on their pastures. Finally, the poor mule was sold to a dog food company and the farmers split the money for a little extra profit that year.
A big city reporter riding through the valley a month later stopped to do a story on all the new tractors and all the happy old mules he saw standing in the shade. He learned all about Bessie and Dan and Tom. He heard a rumor about another mule, an independent one. When he asked the name of that mule, the farmers said they just called him the contractor. He wasn't important.
Moral of the story: Mules who stay on one farm may not continue to eat corn in retirement, but at least they get to rest in the shade and eat grass. Independent mules end up getting shoveled into the garbage as the final end product of dog food.