THE SONG OF THE LOP-EARED MULE

Without departing from a realistic handling of the animal subject, the author ingeniously discerns the emotions of her animal hero and superimposes intelligibility on his behavior. When Fedro opens his mouth to whinny, he is shocked to hear the low deep-song bray of the mule. So, in the hills of southern Spain, he begins his arduous tasks for the farmer El Bigote. Mistreatment and overwork cease when Fedro finds his second home in Granada with a band of gypsies. Although he wins the love of the children when he is unintentionally thrown into the role of a torero and defeats the bull, he also wins the enmity of the powerful gypsy and he is sold to a traveling troupe of actors. He runs away from this life which lacks honor, when he is forced to bray as a ""clown-mule"", and returns to El Bigote. In gratitude, the farmer blesses Fedro's patience and labor and the mule attains pride and dignity at last. In addition to this unusual plot, the reader excitedly tours Spain with ndro.