Muffin the Mule
Muffin the Mule is a puppet character in a British television programme for children. The puppet had been made in 1933 for Hogarth Puppets. The original TV programmes featuring the character were presented by Annette Mills, sister of John Mills, and broadcast live by the BBC from their studios at Alexandra Palace from 1946 to 1952. Mills and the puppet continued with programmes that were broadcast until 1955, when Annette Mills died. The television series then transferred to ITV in 1956 and 1957. A modern animated version of "Muffin the Mule" aired on the British CBeebies channel  between Autumn 2005 and Summer 2008 in the United Kingdom. History. The original mule puppet himself was created in 1933 by Punch and Judy puppet maker Fred Tickner for husband-and-wife puppeteers Jan Bussell (1909–1984) and Ann Hogarth to form part of a puppet circus for the Hogarth Puppet Theatre. The act was soon put away, and the puppet was not taken out again until 1946, when Bussell and Hogarth were working with presenter Annette Mills. She named the puppet mule "Muffin", and it first appeared on television in an edition of "For the Children" broadcast on 20 October  1946. The character proved popular, and ran on BBC television until 1955 when the BBC decided to discontinue the show after Annette Mills' death. Muffin reappeared on BBC television on 27 January 1957 with Jan Bussell as his companion. Typically, Muffin the mule himself danced on top of a piano as Annette Mills played the keys. Muffin the Mule was supported by a host of other puppet characters who appeared occasionally, including Kirri the Kiwi, Zebbie the Zebra, Hubert the Hippopotamus and Sally the Sea Lion to name just a few. A separate series of 15-minute episodes, "Muffin the  Mule", was broadcast from 1952, along with his signature tune, called "We want Muffin". Muffin became a television star, and a wide range of spin-off merchandise was made using the Muffin character, including books, records, games and toys. Muffin also was made into one of the first-ever licensed kids' rides. A die-cast movable puppet was produced by Lesney Products, "the first toy to be marketed under licence as a result of a successful TV appearances." In the early 1950s, a Fleetway weekly magazine, "Woman's Illustrated", featured on its children's page (Gnomes Club) stories about Muffin  the Mule and/or his friends. Some were written by Annette Mills and illustrated by Molly Blake, Annette's daughter, such as "Muffin meets the Rear Light" in 1953; others did not state who the illustrator was, such as in 1953 "Muffin's Good Deed" by Annette Mills, and many stories were written and illustrated only by Molly Blake such as "Willie Disappears" (a Muffin story) on 20 August 1955. Bussell and Hogarth, and later their daughter Sally McNally (1936–2004), continued to use Muffin the mule in their own shows. Surviving original episodes remain available on DVD in the UK. Archive  footage of the original 1946 series was shown on a television set in the 2006 "Doctor Who" story "The Idiot's Lantern". Muffin the Mule was invited to take part in 2021's Children in Need. Book. A book containing some of the stories was published in the Soviet Union in 1958. At least 3 cartoons based on it were made in 1974 and 1975. These cartoons and the book make Muffin a donkey rather than a mule. 2005 TV Series. The rights to "Muffin The Mule" were bought by Maverick Entertainment in 2003, and a new 25-part animated  version of "Muffin The Mule" was shown on the CBeebies TV channel between September 2005 and August 2008. The new television series was also translated into Welsh as "Myffin y Mul" and broadcast in Wales on the S4C channel. Episodes (2005-2008 TV series). 1. Wish Upon A Star - Despite stargazing one cool Winter's night with Muffin the Mule and Monty the mischievous monkey making a star out of silver paper and cardboard as well as Peregrine the penguin building a telescope to study the stars and then seeing an alien that looks just like Willie the Worm, Louise  the lamb soon learns that all real wishes should always be kept secret. 2. The Party - When Louise the Lamb decides to prepare a party in her garden one glorious Spring day in Muffinham, she invites everyone in the village, including Grace the Giraffe, who receives a gramophone from Postman Kangaroo. However, when Muffin agrees to help organize it for her and make preparations, Monty the Monkey overhears and, after being given the job of delivering the invitations to everyone in Muffinham, he becomes too curious and opens all six invitations whilst delivering them, causing him to disorganize them by  mistake. In the end, after Monty eventually apologises to all the other animals for (accidentally) mixing up all the party invites, Morris and Doris Mouse and the other Muffinham Village residents do the jobs that they were meant to do in the first place, allowing the party to take place without chaos. 3. Muffin's Day Off - It is a sunny Spring day in Muffinham Village, and Muffin the Mule is looking forward to a relaxing picnic. Unfortunately, the other residents of Muffinham need Muffin to help solve all their problems. Monty the Monkey cannot cross the raging river , Peregrine the Penguin has lost his reading glasses, Morris and Doris Mouse cannot decide whether to have red or pink roses beside their front door, and Grace the Giraffe's hooves are purple instead of grey and black. Muffin the Mule comes to the rescue before sharing his picnic with all his friends, including Monty the cheeky Monkey. 4. No Place Like Home - It is a warm Summer day in Muffinham Village and Morris and Doris Mouse are both planning a surprise for Peter the dog - they are going to build him a brand new dog kennel to live  in with the help of Muffin and all his crazy animal friends! However, when Peter overhears Morris and Doris Mouse talking about him moving away, he mistakenly thinks that they do not want him to live with them in their straw house any more and decides to find somewhere else in Muffinham to live. However, after visiting first Peregrine the Penguin, then Grace the giraffe, then Louise the Lamb, then Oswald the Ostrich and Willie the Worm and finally Monty the mischievous monkey, Peter the dog runs away and hides somewhere in the woods. In the end, it is Muffin  the Mule who leads Peter to his new dog-kennel not far from Morris and Doris' garden and is relieved. 5. Peregrine Helps Out - One chilly Autumn day in Muffinham, 4 of the village residents have problems. A noisy seagull is building a nest on Grace the Giraffe's lighthouse roof, Willie the Worm is fed up of always moving slowly around the village, Louise the Lamb's drainpipe is broken and the bung for Morris and Doris' water butt is rotten. Peregrine the Penguin is annoyed that everyone in Muffinham Village always goes to Muffin the Mule with all  their problems, but is delighted when he is finally asked for advice, despite him eventually making an aircraft for Willie the Worm, which unknowingly solves everyone's problems in an unusual way before finally crashing straight into the hole in Morris and Doris' water butt with a big bang, damaging the water butt itself in the process. 6. Moving House - Poor Oswald the Ostrich is desperate to fly and Peregrine the Penguin's new slingy device gets him up in the air quicker than a gun's bullet. But he crash lands into Peter the dog's kennel without warning . Peregrine was only trying to help, but despite babysitting Peter in his igloo, his actions leave Muffin homeless too, when, that night, the runaway caravan rolls down the hill along with Muffin fast asleep on board, in spite of Muffin himself suddenly forgetting clean about Morris and Doris' armchairs, which Morris and Doris Mouse tell Muffin earlier about "falling to bits". 7. Whodunnit? - Things keep on mysteriously disappearing without a trace in Muffinham Village, Peregrine the Penguin's pen, Louise the Lamb's wool curlers, Morris Mouse's spade, and even Willie the clever Worm. Unfortunately, it turns out that  a thief trap that Peregrine the Penguin eventually decides to build is not really needed, just because Muffin the mule then tells Peregrine the Penguin that there never really was a thief and that it was only Peter the dog who was trying to keep the things safe all along by just burying them underground. 8. Oswald's Garden Party - Oswald the Ostrich plans a bumper garden party for all his friends in Muffinham Village and wants to grow everyone's favourite food. Unfortunately, his big, clumsy feet accidentally squash all the seeds and plants. Willie the worm does his  best to help out, and, along with his other worm friends, he comes up with a good solution - soft, crumbly compost. 9. Oswald's Big Egg - It's a warm Spring day in Muffinham Village, but Monty the Monkey is desperate for someone in Muffinham to bake him a real cake, despite him being asked by Willie the Worm to scare away some crows which are attacking Oswald's garden. 10. Muffin's Photo Shoot - Muffin the Mule decides to take some pictures of all of his friends, in spite of Grace the Giraffe taking a quick shower to be  able to look perfect for the special occasion and Louise the Lamb wanting Grace's sparkly necklace which she unfortunately loses, but Peregrine the Penguin eventually finds it trapped inside an old leaf-blowing machine, along with several fallen tree leaves, which he kindly lends to Morris and Doris, despite eventually trying unsuccessfully to empty it when it finally becomes full of dead tree leaves. 11. Muffin's Mules United - Muffin the Mule keeps fit by skipping, and everyone in Muffinham village wants to know how they can join in and get fit too. Team sports is the answer, so  Muffin starts his own football team, "Muffin's Mules United". During their first-ever training session, however, Muffin and his friends discover that they don't have a real goal-keeper, so they try to persuade the fitness-shy Grace the giraffe to go between the goal-posts - but she is just not that keen on doing anything too strenuous. However, when Peter the Dog runs off the football pitch, Grace the giraffe goes to get him back, and when she does - she is Muffin's football team's star player, and all is well. 12. Apple Pie Order - It  is a cool Autumn day in Muffinham Village, and Monty the monkey is mischievously stealing some apples from Morris Mouse's trees. Muffin and Morris Mouse come up with ghostly plans to catch the thief, despite Louise the Lamb planning to go to Grace the Giraffe's lighthouse for tea and having to look her best. Doris Mouse, on the other hand, wants to make some home-made apple pies for everyone else in the village, which she eventually does. 13. Muffin's Harvest Home - It is the Muffinham Harvest Home Supper, and everyone in the village is busy cooking . Muffin the Mule is harvesting his oats, Grace the Giraffe is making toffee apples, Oswald the Ostrich and Willie the Worm are making deliveries and Louise the Lamb is making carrot cake. Doris the mouse has trouble making spiced apple jellies for Peter the Dog and the other residents of the village, as Monty the monkey steals her bright pink jelly bag without warning and gives it to Muffin in mistake for a hay net, to which Muffin can hang up inside his caravan. 14. If the Cap Fits - It is a windy Autumn day in Muffinham Village, and while  Muffin the Mule is galloping to Louise the Lamb's rescue, a sudden gust of wind blows his only thinking cap away without him and Peter the Pup noticing. How can poor Muffin solve any problems without his thinking cap? While Muffin worries about what to do, Peregrine the Penguin, Monty the Monkey, Oswald the ostrich, Willie the clever Worm and most of all Louise the Lamb all set out to make him a new and suitable thinking cap. In the end, it is Morris Mouse who comes up trumps and returns the thinking cap (which he finds on the  head of a scarecrow that he built the day before) to its rightful owner, Muffin, following a hat fight with Doris Mouse earlier. 15. Louise Loses Her Top - Louise the Lamb feels frightened when she wakes up one sunny morning to find that Monty the monkey has accidentally stolen her pink woollen roof, along with a plate of oatmeal biscuits that she had made for Muffin the mule the day before, following a brief chat with Peregrine the inventive penguin. Muffin the Mule and the gang are all keen to help, as Louise the Lamb has been so kind to  them all. With some help from some purple scaffolding and Grace the giraffe, Louise's knitted house slowly comes back to life, despite Monty the monkey not being able to knit unaided. 16. Creepy Crawly - Louise the Lamb and Grace the Giraffe both have a problem with a spider and a fly. Nonetheless, Muffin the Mule and Morris Mouse eventually deal with the creepy crawlies using a glass jar, despite Morris Mouse himself needing some help with picking some newly-grown raspberries from a crop of raspberries that he grew the previous day outside the straw house along with Doris  Mouse's help. 17. Magnetic Muffin - Muffin the mule saves the day when he eventually finds some treasure under the sea, along with a special-but-precious necklace, which Grace the giraffe loses during a picnic and a walk along Muffinham Beach with her close friend, Louise the Lamb. 18. Jurassic Farce - When Morris Mouse digs up some old bones, he thinks that he has found the remains of a dinosaur, so he enlists the help of Peregrine the Penguin, Muffin the Mule and the rest of their friends to rebuild it. During a game of hide and seek with  Willie the Worm, however, Oswald the Ostrich stumbles across the model and thinks that he has seen a monster. He gathers the troops together in order to help him battle it, but before they can tell him what it really is, he has charged into it and sent it crashing, all over the place. Peregrine the Penguin is not pleased. Eventually, when everyone in Muffinham Village helps Morris Mouse to rebuild the dinosaur, including Grace the giraffe, the animal residents themselves discover that the dinosaur is still incomplete, that is, until Morris Mouse tells the others that he hasn't  got all the bones. Will the final dinosaur bone ever be found? 19. Oswald's Sandpit - It is a hot Summer's day in Muffinham Village and Oswald the Ostrich has nearly run out of sand in his sandpit, much to the disappointment of Morris and Doris Mouse. Oswald keeps banging the end of his beak on the sandpit's base, much to Willie the Worm's frustration. Whilst reading a magazine and watching Louise the Lamb sit in her deckchair in her front garden and reading, Monty the Monkey wants a drink and some cake, but the sun is  too hot and strong. However, Muffin the Mule eventually comes to the rescue with a good solution and takes the other animals to Muffinham Beach, where, despite meeting Grace the giraffe there, they collect just enough sand (which they bring back to the village the following evening) to load into the sandpit, which, the following morning, makes Oswald the Ostrich feel better and sets Willie the Worm and the other Muffinham residents giggling like mad. 20. Grow Up, Peter Pup - Peter the dog overhears Morris Mouse saying that he should grow up and move out, so, the following morning, after  a bad night's sleep in his dog-kennel, he leaves home. However, Peter the Dog still misses his warm milk and his pink fluffy slipper. Luckily, Muffin the mule explains to him that growing up is difficult for everyone in the world. 21. Penguin of the Year - Peregrine the Penguin gets too big for his boots when, one cool Autumn day in Muffinham Village, he is named Penguin of the Year. 22. Don't Gape, Oswald - Willie the Worm wants Oswald the Ostrich to just stop gaping. Will Oswald ever feel good and complete Willie's mission? 23. Make  My Day - Muffin the Mule, Louise the Lamb and Peregrine the inventive Penguin are going to Muffinham Beach to fish for the day, so Grace the giraffe is relying on Monty the monkey to go shopping for her birthday party. On the way home, Monty finds a tall cherry tree in the orchard and he fills himself up along with the tree's fruit. Then, he unknowingly leaves the party food on the path and lets Peter the dog eat it all. What will poor Muffin the Mule and the gang have to eat at Grace the giraffe's birthday  barbecue party then? 24. Crossed Wires - Louise the Lamb is feeling so annoyed that she called and called for Muffin the Mule, but Muffin did not respond, because he was just too far away for her to be heard properly. 25. Paint Your Wagon - Louise the Lamb goes round to Muffin the Mule's field for Breakfast, but she suddenly feels disgusted by the state of his old caravan, so she decides that it needs a new lick of paint.