Brian in Berlin told this story, which he attributed to Lyndon Johnson. I heard it years ago at UNH from a history professor. Let’s hope it’s apocryphal.
George the farmer had
a reputation for being able to sweet-talk even the most stubborn of
mules. A mule-whisperer so to speak. His neighbor had a non-compliant
mule so he asked George to come by and whisper some sense to the hinny. (A
hinny is a female mule – I didn’t know this until I heard this story. We
learn!)
George approached the hinny in the barn. He took a big stick and whacked her between the eyes.
The neighbor said, “George, I thought you were going to sweet-talk her!”
“I am,” George said.
“But first I had to get her attention.”
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