The mule fell into the farmer's well. The farmer heard the mule
'braying' - or - whatever mules do when they fall into wells. After
carefully *****sing the situation, the farmer sympathized with the
mule, but decided that neither the mule nor the well was worth the
trouble of saving. Instead, he called his neighbors together and told
them what had happened and enlisted them to help haul dirt to bury the
old mule in the well and put him out of his misery.
Initially, the old mule was hysterical! But as the farmer and his
neighbors continued shoveling and the dirt hit his back, a thought
struck him. 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!
You're right! It wasn't long before the old mule, battered and
exhausted, stepped triumphantly over the wall of that well! What
seemed like it would bury him, actually blessed him.
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