A newlywed farmer and his wife were visited by her mother, who immediately demanded an inspection of the place. While they were walking through the barn, the farmer’s mule suddenly reared up and kicked the woman in the head, killing her instantly. At the funeral service, the farmer stood near the casket and greeted folks as they walked by. The minister noticed that whenever a woman would whisper something to the farmer, he would nod “Yes” and say something. Whenever a man walked by and whispered to him, he would shake his head, “No.” Curious, the pastor later asked the farmer what that was all about. The farmer replied, “The women would say ‘What a terrible tragedy!’ and I would nod my head, while the men would ask, ‘You wanna sell that mule?’ and I would shake my head.”
갓 장가간 농부 집을 찾은 장모는 오기가 무섭게 농장을 둘러보잔다. 마구간을 지나갈 때, 노새가 갑자기 뒷발로 서더니 장모를 걷어차 즉사하게 했다. 장례를 치르면서 농부는 관 옆에 서서 문상 온 사람들을 맞았다. 그런데 목사가 보니 여자들이 다가와서 뭔가를 속삭이면 농부는 긍정적으로 고개를 끄떡이면서 남자들이 다가와서 뭔가를 물으면 아니라고 고개를 젓는 것이었다. 이상히 여긴 목사가 나중에 영문을 묻자 농부가 대답하는 것이었다. “여자들은 다가와서 ‘끔찍한 일 당하셨군요’라고 하기에 고개를 끄떡였고 남자들은 다가와서 ‘노새 안 팔 건가?’ 하고 묻기에 안 판다고 고개를 저었던 겁니다.”