The Story of the Two Bulls

Deacon R. is a prosperous farmer whose fields, livestock, and prized spotted bull are sources of constant pride. Though he presents himself as a peaceful and respectable man, he cannot resist comparing his animals with those of his neighbors—especially when a justice of the peace acquires a magnificent red bull said to be the finest in town.

A purchase soon brings the two impressive beasts together, and the deacon’s curiosity about which one is stronger overwhelms his Sunday devotion. While his family and neighbors head to church, he devises a secret test near the gateway, convinced that a little contest between the bulls will do no harm.

Instead, the meeting unleashes a frantic and uproarious chase through the deacon’s home. Told in lively verse with a playful moral edge, this short tale follows one man’s vanity, meddling, and sudden struggle to escape the consequences of his own scheme.