The Mad Bull

The Mad Bull

by

Austin Mitchell

           Miss Felice had just returned from tying out her goats. Her husband, Tooksie, had gone with the bull to the pasture. Their yard boy, Big Ted, had accompanied Miss Felice to tie out the goats. As she looked and didn’t see her husband returning from the bushes she became worried.  Only last month the bull had chased him down twice. Once he had to fly up into a tree and wait until the bull fell asleep and the other time he had to jump down a ravine, nearly breaking his legs. Several butchers had made generous offers to purchase the bull but Tucker had turned them down.

                “Ted, how come Tuck hasn’t had his breakfast yet?”

                “You think Bulla run him down again, Miss Felice?”

                Before Felice could open her mouth she saw her husband coming to the gate.

                Big Ted went and opened it for him.

                “I thought Bulla bucked you down.”

                “I would be dead if those horns ever catch me.”

                “I believe you should sell him before he gives you any more trouble,” she told him as they sat around the breakfast table.

                Tucker was not the only person he had nearly bored. Big Ted had to jump in a tree on at least two occasions and two neighbours passing Tucker’s land had to run like the devil after the bull got loose and chased them. Few of their neighbours ventured near Tucker’s lands after those incidents. Praedial thieves  gave his lands a wide berth.

                A horn was blowing at their gate. Big Ted went to see who it was.

                Sonny Brown was there to see Tucker.

                “Tuck, I’m here to buy the bull,” Sonny told him. Sonny was a big heavy set man as butchers go.

                “I’m not ready to sell yet, Sonny. I want him to put on a few more pounds.”

                “I’m taking  trouble off your hands, Tuck. He nearly bucked you down twice.”

                “Sell him, Tuck. Buy milk cows after this. You have me and Big Ted to help you milk them,” Miss Felice pleaded.

                But all their persuasions could not convince Tuck to sell the bull.

                ”Tuck, I wish you all the best with this bull but if I were you I would sell him.”

                Sonny Brown left to go elsewhere to purchase cows, goats and pigs for slaughtering.

                Tuck brought home the bull to its home pen that evening without incident.

                “He is behaving himself now Felice. I want to see him put on some more weight before I sell him.”

                “Sonny would have given you a good price. I fear what will happen to you one of these days.”

                “I know how to handle this bull and his antics. Don’t forget this is about the sixth bull I’ve owned.”

                Miss Felice knew that this was the most ill- tempered bull, Tuck had ever owned.  As it was a Friday evening Tuck left later on that the evening  to have a drink with his friends. Miss Felice didn’t do any drinking as she was a Christian.

                The bull stayed home on weekends and Tuck and Big ted would cut grass and feed him. Miss Felice felt that maybe that’s what they should do. Pen him and then feed him on grass but Tuck disagreed with her. He felt that the bull was better off in the pasture  grazing on fresh green grass.

                At about nine o’clock the next Monday morning. Big Ted came running up to the house.

                “Miss Felice, come quick, mam!”

                “What happen Ted? What happen?””

                “The bull buck down Mister Tuck, mam.”

                “Jesus Christ! Him no dead?”

                “I don’t know mam. He wasn’t moving.”

                They rushed down to the pasture. Tuck was on his back and his body was spattered with blood. They could see the holes on his body where the bull’s horn had bored him. Miss Felice threw herself at his body in grief. She felt his pulse but there was none. There was no sign of the bull.

                “Tuck dead. Lord me husband dead,” she wailed.

                Neighbours ran to her assistance. Sonny was sent for. The bull was tracked  down a mile from where it had been tied. It had to be shot as nobody could get near it.

                Both Miss Felice and Sonny and even Big Ted knew that Tuck had caused his own death by his stubborn refusal to sell the dangerous bull. The End.