Mad Dog Mulligan

Art: Sandy Cerovich
Story and Music by: John Rickey

Thieves shook in their boots!
Robbers hid in their rooms!
Criminals obeyed the law!
Mad Dog Mulligan, the best police dog in Huskerville, was on patrol!
He was fierce and mean, and mean and fierce, and was vicious and had fangs and growled . . . and was very . . . very . . . scary . . . BUT
Mulligan loved butterflies!
And that bothered the townspeople of Huskerville.
" Butterflies are sweet and neat like sugary spice and little white mice," noted the town clerk.
" But police dogs are rough and tough and full of fighting stuff, " noticed the fire chief looking confused.
"It just doesn't fit!" declared the mayor.
"It just doesn't fit. It just doesn't mix," echoed everyone altogether.
So the townspeople marched to the police chief explaining, "Mulligan guards our town fine and true but oddly enough loves butterflies too. It just doesn't fit. It just doesn't mix."
The police chief squinted, thinking deep in thought. Then had to agree: "That's right! A police dog can't love butterflies. It just doesn't fit. It just doesn't mix. "
Shaking his head, the police chief looked at Mulligan. " You look fierce and mean, and mean and fierce, and look vicious and have fangs and growl, and look so very very scary, criminals shake at the mere sight of you!
But . . . so what! A police dog simply cannot love butterflies. It just doesn't fit. It just doesn't mix. I can't allow it! "
" GET OUT! YOU'RE FIRED!"
Mulligan ran fast and bolted to the hills. He rolled in the grass and jumped in the air. He didn't care because he was with butterflies and Mulligan loved . . .
Mulligan loved . . .
Mulligan loved . . .
Butterflies!
Back in town things were not the same.
Criminals became cruel and nasty , and nasty and cruel, and stole from people and scared people and . . . and . . . something had to be done!
The police chief called a meeting of the town's people. " We need someone who is fierce and mean, and mean and fierce, and is vicious and has fangs and growls . . . and is very very scary! "
" We need . . . the secret service? "
" No! " yelled the crowd.
" We need the army? "
" No! No! No! " yelled the crowd even louder.
"We need . . . We need . . .
We need Mulligan? "
" Yes! " the crowd thundered.
" Then you'll need lots of butterflies, " answered the police chief, " because
Mulligan loves . . .
Mulligan loves . . .
Mulligan loves . . . "
BUTTERFLIES!
Everyone rushed to Bob Buttlebee's Butterfly Boutique and bought bunches of beautiful becoming butterflies.
" We can't go to Mulligan, " everyone sighed. " No one knows where he is! "
. . . " But maybe we can get Mulligan to come to us! "
People had butterflies on their hats, butterflies on their shoes, even butterflies in their coffee mugs.
Butterflies were everywhere!
Everyone sat quietly and waited.
The police chief looked at the town's people and the town's people looked at the police chief.
Where's Mulligan?
There was a sound!
Everyone's eyes lit up! They held their breath!
and . . .
and . . .
In jumped Mulligan! He ran up the aisles and down the aisles. He licked their faces. He rolled in their laps. He jumped in the air. Because
Mulligan loved . . .
Mulligan loved . . .
Mulligan loved . . .
" Butterflies! "
" Hip, hip hooray! " everyone yelled.
" Oh Mulligan, please help us! " the town's people cried. " You're the only one who can! The criminals are everywhere! "
Mulligan bounded out the door. He picked up those robbers before their bodies could drop down a shadow.
He captured thieves like bagging popcorn.
"Hurray for Mulligan!" everyone cheered.
Mad Dog Mulligan was fierce and mean, and mean and fierce, and was vicious and had fangs and growled . . . and was very very scary
AND Mulligan loved . . .
AND Mulligan loved . . .
AND Mulligan loved . . .
BUTTERFLIES!

THE END