Mule

Dunk, Egg, and Maester, by like-a-pimp-with-mjolnir ©

Mules are the offspring of male donkeys and female horses.

Culture

Rangers and builders of the Night's Watch ride sure-footed mules while patrolling the Wall. The mules are specially bred at Eastwatch-by-the-Sea.

Mules are used by travelers to ascend and descend the Giant's Lance. Stables for the mules are found at the Gates of the Moon and the waycastles Stone, Snow, and Sky. Mya Stone, a handler on the mountain, is fond of the mule named Whitey.

History

Dozens of mules died on the Giant's Lance while transporting marble for the construction of the Eyrie.

Lord Rego Draz, master of coin, assessed additional fees for horses, donkeys, oxen, and mules at the gates of King's Landing.

Maester was a mule ridden by Prince Aegon Targaryen when he squired with Ser Duncan the Tall. Cerrick, a maester who served Lady Rohanne Webber, rode a mule.

A mule tried to bite Robert Arryn when he was young.

Recent Events

A Game of Thrones

Mya Stone with a mule, by Heliotropa ©

Mya Stone guides Catelyn Stark up the Giant's Lance on muleback.

Jon Snow hears the raucous haw of a mule from the stable at Mole's Town.

A Clash of Kings

Stannis Baratheon thinks poorly of his lordy supporters, comparing them to mules.

A Storm of Swords

Kedge and Bannen report to the great ranging that mules loaded with supplies are among the free folk host of Mance Rayder.

Freedmen in the host of Daenerys Targaryen who own horses or mules sleep by their animals near Yunkai to prevent them from being stolen.

A Feast for Crows

Mya helps Lord Robert Arryn and Alayne Stone descend the Giant's Lance with her mules.

A Dance with Dragons

A train of mules carrying chests, casks, barrels, and hampers of delectables follows the litter of Magister Illyrio Mopatis as he departs from Pentos with Tyrion Lannister.

Mules are among the baggage train of Stannis Baratheon during his march on Winterfell. Morgan Liddle thinks that the Flints stole one of his mules after it disappears.

Horses, mules, and donkeys are stabled in the western walls of the Great Pyramid of Meereen. Tyrion, Penny, and Jorah Mormont are put in the back of a mule cart after being purchased as slaves by Yezzan zo Qaggaz.

Quotes

Brynden: What madness is this? A night ascent, with the moon not even full? Even Lysa should know that's an invitation to a broken neck.
Mya: The mules know the way, Ser Brynden.

—Brynden Tully and Mya Stone

Stannis: One day I may make you a lord, smuggler. If only to irk Celtigar and Florent. You will not thank me, though. It will mean you must suffer through these councils, and feign interest in the braying of mules.
Davos: Why do you have them, if they serve no purpose?
Stannis: The mules love the sound of their own braying, why else? And I need them to haul my cart.

—Stannis Baratheon and Davos Seaworth

Styr: Mules are slow.
Jon: Slow, but more surefooted on the ice. The patrols often ride atop the Wall, and aside from Castle Black, the paths up there have not been graveled for long years. The mules are bred at Eastwatch, and specially trained to their duty.

—Styr and Jon Snow

Alayne: Sweetrobin, the descent will be ever so jolly, you'll see. Ser Lothor will be with us, and Mya. Her mules have gone up and down this old mountain a thousand times.
Robert: I hate mules. Mules are nasty. I told you, one tried to bite me when I was little.

—Alayne Stone and Robert Arryn

Prophecy is like a half-trained mule. It looks as though it might be useful, but the moment you trust in it, it kicks you in the head.

—Tyrion Lannister to Jorah Mormont

Me, I have the mules. Nettles claims we're kin. It's true we have the same long face, but I'm not near as stubborn.

—Eddison Tollett to Jon Snow