beast of burden (from Merriam-Webster)
Definition of beast of burden
: an animal employed to carry heavy loads or to perform other heavy work (such as pulling a plow)
The Rolling Stones Song
The Rollings Stones song, Beast of Burden, has been stuck in my head for more than a week since connecting with a friend who was going to their New Orleans concert last Monday with his significant other. Especially the line, “I’ve walked for miles, my feet are hurting”. It feels so relevant to me because of the foot surgery, but for this post, it’s about the animals, the true “beasts of burden”.
How Do They Feel?
I’ve always wondered how our beasts of burden feel about their “jobs”. Are their feet hurting? Do they enjoy being useful, understanding how important they are to us? Are they singing the animal kingdom equivalent of Whistle While You Work?
Excerpt from Whistle While You Work
"Just whistle while you work
And cheerfully together we can tidy up the place
So hum a merry tune
It won't take long when there's a song to help you set the pace"
Or do they want to go on strike for better working conditions, a day off, or higher “wages”? Is it more likely that they’re singing Old Man River to themselves as they toil?
Excerpt from Old Man River
"You and me
We sweat and strain
Body all aching
And wracked with pain"
The Dancing Chicken Doesn’t Have a Choice
What do they think? As a teenager, I burst into tears at Aquarena Springs in San Marcos when my younger brother put a quarter into a little cage and a live rooster danced for about 30 seconds to earn a half ounce of feed. “He’s just doing his job,” my Mom said. “But (sob) he doesn’t (sob) have a choice! (sob) It’s not fair!” I felt that the rooster would rather be home on the range than dancing for his supper in a coin-operated metal cage in the theme park’s petting zoo. I think this was one of the many times that my mother muttered “Life isn’t fair”. I didn’t appreciate that at all at the time, but now I know what she meant, the wise woman. Sigh.
Ralph, the Swimming Pig
Aquarena Springs sported glass-bottomed boats from which visitors would view underwater theater, submarine ballet and “Ralph, the Swimming Pig”.
Ralph was actually one of a succession of pigs who were trained to swim and amuse the guests. Was this a great life for a pig? Certainly better than the life of swine raised for the table, I guess. But would he rather have just roamed free? Or is that a false construct for a pig?
In a New Orleans Mood
This post started because I’ve been in a New Orleans mood, partly because of the previous post about the cookbook, partly because of the Rolling Stones concert, partly because, well, I just love New Orleans.
So I was looking at pictures from our last trip to NOLA, and these beautiful horses just spoke to my soul. I hope they are happy. I want them to be.
And this one, bearing the unicorn horn, how does he/she feel? There seemed to be mutual affection with his handler, a bit of a unicorn herself. Perhaps her work is also a daily grind. Or maybe they’re happy together, living a charmed and useful, productive life. What do you think?
The woman in the bottom picture is Charlotte Jones, who drives carriages and attends Tulane. The horses are really mules. Just sayin for a friend.
It certainly looks like there’s mutual affection between human and mule…hopefully Charlotte won’t mind my picture. She smiled at me, but I didn’t catch it on camera.
She’s a sweetheart. She won’t care. Either will the mule. 🙃
The woman in the bottom picture is Charlotte Jones, who drives and attends Tulane. The horses are really mules. They are treated very well.
I wanted to think that the horse/mules are happy, and that one certainly looks it. I don’t think the dancing chicken was happy.
Because the mules are important to a lot of people who earn their living with them, they are treated pretty well. They don’t work in storms, or when it is too hot or cold. They are kept in a stable on Orleans kind of across the street from the Mahalia Jackson Theater.
Thank you, you’ve answered my question. My romantic notion that some Beasts of Burden are happy has been satisfied. 🙂