The Complete Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway Chapter Summary & Analysis - "The Faithful Bull" Summary

"The Faithful Bull" Summary

One bull loves to fight. He fights will all the other bulls until his master puts him out to breed. The bull falls in love with one of the cows and will not mate with any others. The owner sends him to be killed in the bullring. After he is killed, the matador comments on the rewards of faithfulness.

"The Faithful Bull" Analysis

Although this is supposed to be a children's story, the message at the end of the story seems more appropriate for adults. Even in the animal world, the problems of male-female relationships are given as the reason why the male half of the relationship fails. The argument remains that faithfulness, at least on the part of the male, is against nature. The males who practice it are punished.