"The Zoo Keeper" joke

This is the tale of the Crist family who worked at a zoo. Each year
they claimed to be able to predict the overall mood of the year by
watching the animals. In particular, the gnu's who, if their ears were
forward, predicted a successful, joyous year, but it their ears were
laid back flat, predicted a sorrowful, disastrous year. One year it was
young Mary's turn to "survey" the animals and come up with the
prediction. It was her first time solo, and in her excitement, she
forgot to check on the gnus. Well, she botched it, predicting a bad
year, when in fact it was quite good. In explanation, the next winter
solstice, the local newspaper ran the following headline:. .. Mary
Crist misses an happy gnu's ear!