The Headless Mule: Brazil's Cautionary Tale

Send me a text message!

26.2.24
Paranormal Pajama Party
The Headless Mule | 6

Tonight’s episode tells the story of Brazil’s headless mule, or mula sem cabeça, Argentina’s almamula, and their older sister, the muladona of Catalan mythology. Hold on – we’re in for a wild ride with this one.

Imagine being cursed for eternity because you dared to defy societal norms. These aren't your run-of-the-mill monster stories – they're cautionary tales straight out of the patriarchy's playbook.

Cautionary tales are carefully crafted to serve a purpose, usually to keep people in line and reinforce the status quo. And in the case of the headless mule and her friends, they're a warning shot fired by the colonial Catholic church and the powers that be, reminding women to stay in their lane or face the horrific consequences.

Beneath the surface of these tales lies a rebellious spirit, a refusal to bow in shame and repent for actions we don’t regret. It's a middle finger to the powers that be in defiance against a narrative designed to perpetuate subjugation.

By digging into the origins of these tales, we're shining a big, bright spotlight on the power dynamics at play.

Key moments

• 0:59 – Cursed by God
• 6:23 – The headless mule and the almamula
• 12:49 – The muladona
• 14:44 – Horror as a cautionary tale
• 17:59 – Colonial Catholic patriarchal order
• 23:28 – Cautionary tales as a control mechanism

If you’re enjoying the show, don’t forget to subscribe, rate and review Paranormal Pajama Party to help others discover it!

View all my sources for each episode and read the episode transcript here.

Follow @ParanormalPJParty on Instagram or subscribe to the podcast's newsletter, Lights Out!