A farmer owned an old...
Illustration
A farmer owned an old mule. The mule fell into the farmer's well. The farmer heard the mule "braying." After looking over the situation, the farmer decided that neither the mule nor the well was worth the trouble of saving. Instead, he called his neighbors together and asked them to help haul dirt to bury the old mule in the well and put him out of his misery.
Well, the old mule was hysterical! But as the farmer and his neighbors kept shoveling and the dirt hit his back, he thought about it. It suddenly dawned on him that every time a shovel load of dirt landed on his back he should shake it off and step up! This he did, blow after blow. "Shake it off and step up ... shake it off and step up ... shake it off and step up!" he repeated to encourage himself. No matter how painful the blows, or distressing the situation seemed, the old mule fought panic and just kept right on shaking it off and stepping up!
It wasn't long before the old mule, battered and exhausted, stepped over the wall of that well.
Well, the old mule was hysterical! But as the farmer and his neighbors kept shoveling and the dirt hit his back, he thought about it. It suddenly dawned on him that every time a shovel load of dirt landed on his back he should shake it off and step up! This he did, blow after blow. "Shake it off and step up ... shake it off and step up ... shake it off and step up!" he repeated to encourage himself. No matter how painful the blows, or distressing the situation seemed, the old mule fought panic and just kept right on shaking it off and stepping up!
It wasn't long before the old mule, battered and exhausted, stepped over the wall of that well.
