Howdy Friends! Did you ever wonder why Festus always named his mules Ruth? Settle in. I’ll tell you a story.
Well, during the Civil War Festus was a mule skinner for the Confederate Army. His favorite mule was a jenny named Ruth. Festus loved Ruth like he loved his mother, and if Ruth had been a male he said he’d have loved him like a brother. Ruth was faithful, strong, and smart.
Did you ever wonder why Festus always named his mules Ruth? A Dog Named Saturday
In 1864 Festus accepted a mission to retrieve the bodies of several Confederate boys killed in battle.
He and Ruth set out. After loading those fallen men on Ruth’s back, they came under fire by Yankee troops. “Ruth walked trough them bullets like no more than a swarm of bees,” Festus said.
Back behind their own lines, Festus went to light his pipe after unloading the bodies. When the match flared, he saw blood pouring down Ruth’s side. She began to sway. He looked in her eyes and began to cry.
Ruth looked at him and seemed to say, “Don’t cry for me, we had a job to do.” Then she slipped to the ground and passed on.
After he buried Ruth and marked her grave Festus swore to her, every mule he ever owned, male or female, would be named Ruth. “This way,” Festus promised her, “as long as I’m alive, there will always be a Ruth.” . . . And now friends, you know about, that mule called Ruth. And the fella who loved her. ~ Gitty Up, Dutch.
FOOTNOTE: This story comes from KEN CURTIS’ ballad, “ODE TO A MULE.”
Yes friends, this is directly from the lyrics Ken sang. There ya have it, this comes directly from Ken Curtis, no one else.
How sad. But still, so many horses, dogs, birds, and men died in the wars fought for freedom. Ruth was faithful.
Truth.
That’s a beautiful story of Ruth and Festus! I truly know how he feels when a person has lost their equine friend!!
You bet Dusty. And I do do, by God’s grace.