irst Mule Race

ometime ago Baron Von Lodge was the head of a small country near Switzerland known as Lilliland.

Each year Lilliland would hold horse races, but this year they wanted to try a mule race. There were several farms which had stables that raised mules and the owners felt that the mules could run fast enough to stage a fine race at the race track.

Everyone agreed to give the mule race a chance but there was only one thing to consider. That consideration was that no corn allowed near the location where the mules would be staying. That was agreed and there would be no corn because the mules were raised where corn was an extra treat and the mules would do anything for an ear of corn.

The day of the mule race came and there were six mules entered in the race. There was to be a prize and the fans were getting excited, as the time of the race got closer. Finally, all six mules were positioned at the starting gate. An official sounded the starting bell and announced that they were off. Around the first turn everything showed signs of a fine race. The second turn also showed positive signs of a good race. But at the third turn something happened. All six mules stopped dead in their tracks and clearly disabled the riders. The jockeys were thrown off the mules and landed on the track. The mules jumped over the small fence and ran in the same direction.

Someone was baking corn fritters who had not received the message prohibiting corn or corn products to be served around any area that the mules were occupying.

The mules had smelled the corn fritters baking and that was just too much for the mules. The race was declared stopped. There were no winners or prizes. It was agreed that future races with mules would have to be with mules that were given other treats besides corn. They would have to be desensitized from corn or else there would be not future to mule racing

It would take a long while but eventually they would be back to try the mule races again, perhaps it would take two or three years.

The Lilliland mule races would just have to wait.