The Mule's Mistake

Jack had always been a risk-taker, but tonight he was pushing his luck further than ever before. The high-stakes poker game had been going for hours, and he was down to his last chips. Desperation clouded his judgment as he eyed the mountain of cash in the center of the table.

"I need to win this hand," he thought, his heart racing. "No matter what it takes."

As the dealer shuffled the cards, Jack excused himself to use the restroom. On his way back, he passed the coat rack where he knew the other players had stashed their lucky charms and extra decks. With trembling hands, he slipped an ace of spades from one of the decks into his sleeve.

Returning to the table, Jack tried to act natural, but his guilty conscience made his movements stiff and unnatural. As the cards were dealt, he felt the illicit ace burning against his wrist.

When it came time to reveal their hands, Jack's heart pounded as he reached for his cards. But as he moved to play the hidden ace, something strange happened. A tingling sensation spread through his fingers, racing up his arm.

"What the-" he gasped, staring in disbelief as coarse gray fur began sprouting from his skin.

The other players looked on in shock as Jack's transformation accelerated. His ears elongated, becoming long and floppy. His nose and mouth stretched outward, forming a

. A braying sound escaped his throat as he tried to cry out in alarm.

"He's turning into a donkey!" someone shouted, causing chaos to erupt around the table.

Jack's body continued to change, growing larger and more muscular. His legs shifted, becoming powerful and hooved. As his clothes tore away, revealing a

, Jack realized with horror that he wasn't just becoming any donkey – he was transforming into a mule taur.

The final change came swiftly as his lower body expanded, forming a second torso with four strong legs. Jack stumbled, trying to adjust to his new center of gravity. His human upper half remained, a stark contrast to his equine lower body.

"I- I can explain," he tried to say, but it came out as a series of confused brays.

As the reality of his situation sank in, Jack understood the cruel irony of his punishment. He had tried to cheat like a stubborn mule, and now he would bear the consequences – quite literally.

The other players, a mix of anger and fascination on their faces, surrounded the newly-formed mule taur. "Well, well," the dealer said with a wry smile. "Looks like we've got ourselves a real

at the table."

And so began Jack's new life as a living cautionary tale against the dangers of cheating. He would spend his days pulling carts and
to those tempted to follow in his hoof-steps, a constant reminder that in life, as in poker, honesty is always the best policy.