A muleta is a stick with a red cloth hanging from it
muleta
' in the Diccionario de la Real Academia. that is used in the final third ('' tercio de muleta'' or ''de muerte'') of a

bullfight Bullfighting is a physical contest that involves a bullfighter attempting to subdue, immobilize, or kill a bull, usually according to a set of rules, guidelines, or cultural expectations. There are several variations, including some forms wh ...

. It is different from the cape used by the

matador A bullfighter (or matador) is a performer in the activity of bullfighting. ''Torero'' () or ''toureiro'' (), both from Latin ''taurarius'', are the Spanish and Portuguese words for bullfighter and describe all the performers in the activit ...

earlier in the fight (''capote de brega''). The muleta obscures the sword; and as in his earlier work with the cape, the bullfighter uses it to attract the

bull A bull is an intact (i.e., not castrated) adult male of the species ''Bos taurus'' (cattle). More muscular and aggressive than the females of the same species (i.e., cows), bulls have long been an important symbol in many religions, includin ...

in a series of passes, thus demonstrating his control over it. The red color of the muleta is actually irrelevant since bulls are dichromatic, meaning neither the cape nor the muleta color can be accurately discerned by the bull. The color is retained merely for tradition. There are a number of distinct styles of pass, each with its own name. With the cape for instance, the verónica is a pass in which the matador slowly swings the cape away from the charging bull while keeping his feet in the same position. The faena is the final series of passes before the kill in which the matador uses the muleta to maneuver the bull into a position to stab it between its shoulders, cutting the aorta. If this fails, the matador must then cut the bull's

spinal cord The spinal cord is a long, thin, tubular structure made up of nervous tissue, which extends from the medulla oblongata in the brainstem to the lumbar region of the vertebral column (backbone). The backbone encloses the central canal of the sp ...

with a second sword, killing it instantly. The task of killing the bull is given to the matador alone; his title means literally "killer".

References

{{Bullfighting Bullfighting