As stubborn as a mule
Meaning
Extremely unwilling to change one's mind or course of action, often despite good reasons or persuasion.
Origin
Mules, the robust offspring of a horse and a donkey, have been indispensable beasts of burden since ancient times, prized for their strength and endurance. However, their physical fortitude came paired with an equally formidable will—a stubbornness that became legendary. When a mule decides to stop, it digs in its heels, becoming an immovable force that no amount of coaxing or brute strength can easily overcome. This unyielding nature, observed and understood across millennia and even explicitly warned against in ancient texts like the Bible, cemented the animal’s status as the quintessential symbol of obstinate refusal.
Examples
- Despite all the evidence, my brother was as stubborn as a mule and refused to admit he was wrong.
- The old farmer, as stubborn as a mule, insisted on plowing his fields by hand even after his son bought him a new tractor.