Give A Man A Fish
. . . You have probably heard it said, "Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day; teach a man to fish and he will eat for a lifetime." But have you heard these?
1. Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach him how to fish and he will sit in a boat and drink beer all day.
2. Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach him to use the net and he won't bother you for weeks.
3. Give a man a fish and you'll feed him for a day. Give a man religion and he'll starve to death while praying for a fish.
4. Give a man a fish, then run like hell.
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Showing posts with label folklore. Show all posts
Showing posts with label folklore. Show all posts
08 March 2010
08 February 2010
11 Reasons Why People Over 40 Should Be Dead
. . . Author unknown. Email lore collected six years ago. I have modified it slightly. (It's folklore. That's what you do.)
According to today's regulators and bureaucrats, those of us who were kids in the 1970s or earlier probably shouldn't have survived. Here's why:
1. Our baby cribs were covered with lead-based paint.
2. We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles.
3. We rode our bikes without helmets.
4. Sometimes we hitchhiked.
5. We rode in cars with no child safety seats and no air bags. Sometimes, as a special treat, we rode in the back of an open pickup.
6. We drank water from a garden hose.
7. We drank soda pop with sugar in it.
8. We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle.
9. We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the street lights came on. No one was able to reach us all day. We had no cell phones. Imagine that!
10. We did not have Nintendo, Playstation, or X-Box; no 2,000 channels on cable, no home movies on DVD, no surround sound, no personal computers, no internet chat rooms. We had friends! We went outside and found them.
11. We fell out of trees, got cut and broke bones and teeth, and there were no lawsuits from these accidents. They were accidents. Remember accidents?
People under 40 are wimps!
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Browse used books on children and families from reputable independent dealers at TomFolio.com
Help a starving bookdealer
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. . . Author unknown. Email lore collected six years ago. I have modified it slightly. (It's folklore. That's what you do.)
According to today's regulators and bureaucrats, those of us who were kids in the 1970s or earlier probably shouldn't have survived. Here's why:
1. Our baby cribs were covered with lead-based paint.
2. We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles.
3. We rode our bikes without helmets.
4. Sometimes we hitchhiked.
5. We rode in cars with no child safety seats and no air bags. Sometimes, as a special treat, we rode in the back of an open pickup.
6. We drank water from a garden hose.
7. We drank soda pop with sugar in it.
8. We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle.
9. We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the street lights came on. No one was able to reach us all day. We had no cell phones. Imagine that!
10. We did not have Nintendo, Playstation, or X-Box; no 2,000 channels on cable, no home movies on DVD, no surround sound, no personal computers, no internet chat rooms. We had friends! We went outside and found them.
11. We fell out of trees, got cut and broke bones and teeth, and there were no lawsuits from these accidents. They were accidents. Remember accidents?
People under 40 are wimps!
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Browse used books on children and families from reputable independent dealers at TomFolio.com
Help a starving bookdealer
---0---
13 January 2010
Eye Halve a Spell Chequer
. . . Collected some years ago as a specimen of "email lore." As one who supports English spelling reform, and believes that rigid adherence to the notion of "correct" spelling is somewhat silly at times, I do acknowledge the difficulties that can accompany one who ignores intelligent spelling conventions.
Eye halve a spell chequer
Eye halve a spelling chequer
It came with my pea sea
It plainly marques four my revue
Miss steaks eye kin knot sea.
Eye strike a key and type a word
And weight four it two say
Weather eye am wrong oar write
It shows me strait a weigh.
As soon as a mist ache is maid
It nose bee fore two long
And eye can put the error rite
Its rarely ever wrong.
Eye have run this poem threw it
I am shore your pleased two no
Its letter perfect in it’s weigh
My chequer tolled me sew.
-- Sauce unknown
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Click here to browse books on Language and Linguistics at TomFolio.com
Find used books on all topics at my used bookstore
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. . . Collected some years ago as a specimen of "email lore." As one who supports English spelling reform, and believes that rigid adherence to the notion of "correct" spelling is somewhat silly at times, I do acknowledge the difficulties that can accompany one who ignores intelligent spelling conventions.
Eye halve a spell chequer
Eye halve a spelling chequer
It came with my pea sea
It plainly marques four my revue
Miss steaks eye kin knot sea.
Eye strike a key and type a word
And weight four it two say
Weather eye am wrong oar write
It shows me strait a weigh.
As soon as a mist ache is maid
It nose bee fore two long
And eye can put the error rite
Its rarely ever wrong.
Eye have run this poem threw it
I am shore your pleased two no
Its letter perfect in it’s weigh
My chequer tolled me sew.
-- Sauce unknown
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Click here to browse books on Language and Linguistics at TomFolio.com
Find used books on all topics at my used bookstore
---0---
26 November 2009
58 Unusual Names of Fairies, Demons, and Other Mythical and Imaginary Beings
. . . Happy Turkey Day to all! Here's a few of the more interesting fairies and demons from my large collection.
1. Abeyoyo (ah-bay-YO-yo). a ferocious giant. Africa.
2. Aughisky. a water spirit that preys on cattle. Ireland.
3. Balkin. a mountain spirit. Orkney Islands, Scotland.
4. banshee (BAN-she) a wailing, female spirit attached to a specific family: she wails just prior to the death of a family member. Celtic, Scottish and Irish.
5. the Baobhan Sith. a type of monster or malevolent spirit, often appearing as a beautiful woman, known to suck blood. Highland Scotland.
6. bargus. a frightening ghost draped in clanking chains. Yorkshire and South Lancashire, England
7. Bodachan Sabhaill (Scottish: little old man of the barn). a friendly fairy who threshes corn and binds straw for old men. Highland Scotland.
8. boggart. a mischievous fairy, known for making noise, throwing objects about and like behavior. Yorkshire and northern England. Called a bwca in Wales, a bogle in Scotland, a poltergeist in Germany. (In the Harry Potter books by J. K. Rowling, a boggart appears in the form of whatever its victim fears most. See clutterbumph.)
9. Brollachan (Gaelic: shapeless thing). a monster born of a fuath.
10. brownie. a small, rag-clothed fairy or spirit that haunts a specific place; to give a brownie clothes is bad luck. Northern England and Scotland.
11. Ca Sith (Scottish: fairy dog). a monstrous spirit dog, the size of a bull, with a green coat. Scotland.
12. Cait Sith (Scottish: fairy cat). a monstrous black cat owned by the fairies. Scotland.
13. clutterbumph. a scary thing that is not there until you imagine it: whatever is just above the worst thing you can think of, that is what a clutterbumph looks like. (From the book Manxmouse by Paul Gallico, a book which J. K. Rowling said was one of her favorites, which possibly inspired her version of a boggart in the Harry Potter books.)
14. Coblynau (Welsh: goblins). friendly beings who inhabit mines: they stand about two feet tall, dress like miners and are helpful to miners. Wales.
15. Deva (DAY-vah) (India: shining one). general term for any type of nature spirit.
16. dvergr. Norse word for dwarf: they were believed to live in rocks and were skilled in metalworking.
17. Ellylldan (Welsh: will o' the wisp). local name for friendly fairies. Wales.
18. Fear Dearg. (Irish: red man). a red-clothed spirit whose visit brings good luck. Munster, Ireland.
19. Fenodyree / Phynoderee / Phynnodderee. name for a local fairy similar to a brownie. Isle of Man.
20. fetch. a double of a living man; when seen it means death. Ireland.
21. Firbolg. a non-cannibal giant. Ireland.
22. Fomorian. a giant known for throwing huge stones, blamed for the boulders seen scattered about Scotland.
23. fuath (FOO-ah). a group of malignant water spirits. Sutherland, Scotland.
24. Gally-Trot. a spirit in the shape of a large white dog, known for chasing anyone who runs from it. Suffolk, England.
25. Ghillie Dhu (Scottish: black servant). a friendly, domestic, solitary fairy who is helpful in finding lost children. Scotland.
26. the Glaistig. a fairy woman, clothed in green, known for being kind to children but also for misleading travelers. Highland Scotland.
27. the Glashtin. a mischievous fairy. Isle of Man.
28. Grindylow (GRIN-dee-loh). a malevolent water spirit. Yorkshire. (J. K. Rowling included these in the Harry Potter books; they live in the lake near Hogwarts School.)
29. the Grogan. the brownie as it is known in Ireland.
30. the Gwragedd Annwn. beautiful, friendly female spirits who inhabit lakes. Wales. The singular is Gwraig (Welsh: lady of the lake).
31. Gwydion. the wizard king of the fairies. North Wales.
32. Habetrot. queen of the spinning fairies, patroness of human spinners, generally described as very industrious and friendly but not too attractive. Scottish Borderlands.
33. the Hag of Winter. a spirit woman, the personification of winter, she is fearsome, withered, and has only one eye. Called Gentle Annie in Leicester, Black Annis in northern England, and the Cailleach Bheur in the Scottish Highlands. (John Milton called her the Blue Meagre Hag.)
34. the Hedley Kow. a monster that haunts the village of Hedley, Northumberland, England, known for transforming itself into the shape of a man, woman, horse or other beast, and for causing harm to the unwary.
35. Hraesvelger (corpse swallower). in Norse mythology, a giant wearing eagle plumage who produces the wind.
36. incubus. (ING-kyoo-bus). a male demon that preys on young women in their sleep.
37. Jenny Greenteeth. a female water spirit known for dragging people under the water to their deaths. A green scum on the surface of the water indicates her presence. Lancashire, England.
38. Jötunn. (Anglo-Saxon: eoten). in Norse mythology, a giant.
39. Kadaicha Man (Aborigine tribe Luritja: retribution man). a fearful being who chases wrongdoers to deliver justice. He walks without leaving tracks. Australia.
40. Kobold. a mining spirit. Germany.
41. Kooshd'aa K'aa. (land otter or land otter man). A malignant being who can change himself into a human being, another animal, or anything. Children who might wander off alone are warned that the Kooshd'aa K'aa would wait from them, put them in a trance and take them away. Tlingit Indians of Alaska.
42. Llamhigyn y Dwr (Welsh: the water leaper). a malevolent water spirit known for stealing fishermen's bait and for dragging sheep into the water to eat.
43. the Loireag. a female spirit, patroness of weavers and fullers (ones who beat or press cloth to increase its bulk). Highland Scotland.
44. merfolk. water spirits, including mermaids and mermen, said to very beautiful and playful, with fishtails in the place of legs.
45. the Muileartach. a hideous, one-eyed water hag of enormous size. Highland Scotland.
46. Nuckelavee. a mythical water monster, half horse and half man. Scotland.
47. the Peallaidh (Scottish: the shaggy one). chief of the Urisks. Perthshire, Scotland.
48. peerie. local term for fairy. Shetland Isles.
49. the Pellings. a race of half-human fairies, children of a fairy mother (Penelope) and human father, who dwell in Corwrion Lake. Wales.
50. pooka. a type of fairy or spirit that always appears in animal form. Ireland. (Make famous as a six foot tall invisible rabbit in the movie and play "Harvey.")
51. the Ratchet. a demonic hound, known for hunting in packs in the sky and howling before the death of a human.
52. silkie / silky / selkie / selky. a seal-like water spirit able to change his form into a man. Scotland.
53. spriggan. the ghost of a giant, usually found guarding the giant's buried treasure, usually tiny but able to grow enormous, considered to be very dangerous. Cornwall, England.
54. Tom Tit Tot. name of a particularly mischievous fairy in England. Known in Scotland as Whuppity Stoorie, in Wales as Trwtyn a Trotyn, in Cornwall as the Devil Terrytop, in Germany as Rumpelstiltzkin.
55. Tylwyth Teg (Welsh: Fair Family). local name for a group of fair-haired, larger-than-human-sized fairies.
56. the Urisk. a group of hobgoblins. Perthshire, Scotland.
57. Valkyrie (VAL-kee-ree) (chooser of the slain). in Norse mythology, one of a troop of goddesses who serve in Valhalla, land of fallen heroes, and carry out errands for Odin, king of the gods.
58. worm. general term for monstrous being akin to a dragon. England.
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Select bibliography:
The Personnel of Fairyland: A Short Account of the Fairy People of Great Britain for Those Who Tell Stories to Children, by K. M. Briggs. Detroit: Singing Tree Press, 1971, reprint of Oxford: Alden Press, 1953.
The Kingdom of Faerie, by Geoffrey Hodson. London: Theosophical Publishing House, 1927, and, Fairies at Work and at Play, Observed by Geoffrey Hodson. London: Theosophical Publishing House, 1947.
Norse Mythology, Or, the Religion of our Forefathers, by Rasmus Bjorn Anderson. Chicago, S. C. Griggs & Company, 2nd edition, 1876.
Tlingit Stories, by Marie Ackerman. Anchorage, Alaska: AMU Press, 1975.
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Visit my used bookstore at gwenfoss.com
Find used books on fairies, folklore, mythology, or any other topic from reputable independent dealers at TomFolio.com
---0---
. . . Happy Turkey Day to all! Here's a few of the more interesting fairies and demons from my large collection.
1. Abeyoyo (ah-bay-YO-yo). a ferocious giant. Africa.
2. Aughisky. a water spirit that preys on cattle. Ireland.
3. Balkin. a mountain spirit. Orkney Islands, Scotland.
4. banshee (BAN-she) a wailing, female spirit attached to a specific family: she wails just prior to the death of a family member. Celtic, Scottish and Irish.
5. the Baobhan Sith. a type of monster or malevolent spirit, often appearing as a beautiful woman, known to suck blood. Highland Scotland.
6. bargus. a frightening ghost draped in clanking chains. Yorkshire and South Lancashire, England
7. Bodachan Sabhaill (Scottish: little old man of the barn). a friendly fairy who threshes corn and binds straw for old men. Highland Scotland.
8. boggart. a mischievous fairy, known for making noise, throwing objects about and like behavior. Yorkshire and northern England. Called a bwca in Wales, a bogle in Scotland, a poltergeist in Germany. (In the Harry Potter books by J. K. Rowling, a boggart appears in the form of whatever its victim fears most. See clutterbumph.)
9. Brollachan (Gaelic: shapeless thing). a monster born of a fuath.
10. brownie. a small, rag-clothed fairy or spirit that haunts a specific place; to give a brownie clothes is bad luck. Northern England and Scotland.
11. Ca Sith (Scottish: fairy dog). a monstrous spirit dog, the size of a bull, with a green coat. Scotland.
12. Cait Sith (Scottish: fairy cat). a monstrous black cat owned by the fairies. Scotland.
13. clutterbumph. a scary thing that is not there until you imagine it: whatever is just above the worst thing you can think of, that is what a clutterbumph looks like. (From the book Manxmouse by Paul Gallico, a book which J. K. Rowling said was one of her favorites, which possibly inspired her version of a boggart in the Harry Potter books.)
14. Coblynau (Welsh: goblins). friendly beings who inhabit mines: they stand about two feet tall, dress like miners and are helpful to miners. Wales.
15. Deva (DAY-vah) (India: shining one). general term for any type of nature spirit.
16. dvergr. Norse word for dwarf: they were believed to live in rocks and were skilled in metalworking.
17. Ellylldan (Welsh: will o' the wisp). local name for friendly fairies. Wales.
18. Fear Dearg. (Irish: red man). a red-clothed spirit whose visit brings good luck. Munster, Ireland.
19. Fenodyree / Phynoderee / Phynnodderee. name for a local fairy similar to a brownie. Isle of Man.
20. fetch. a double of a living man; when seen it means death. Ireland.
21. Firbolg. a non-cannibal giant. Ireland.
22. Fomorian. a giant known for throwing huge stones, blamed for the boulders seen scattered about Scotland.
23. fuath (FOO-ah). a group of malignant water spirits. Sutherland, Scotland.
24. Gally-Trot. a spirit in the shape of a large white dog, known for chasing anyone who runs from it. Suffolk, England.
25. Ghillie Dhu (Scottish: black servant). a friendly, domestic, solitary fairy who is helpful in finding lost children. Scotland.
26. the Glaistig. a fairy woman, clothed in green, known for being kind to children but also for misleading travelers. Highland Scotland.
27. the Glashtin. a mischievous fairy. Isle of Man.
28. Grindylow (GRIN-dee-loh). a malevolent water spirit. Yorkshire. (J. K. Rowling included these in the Harry Potter books; they live in the lake near Hogwarts School.)
29. the Grogan. the brownie as it is known in Ireland.
30. the Gwragedd Annwn. beautiful, friendly female spirits who inhabit lakes. Wales. The singular is Gwraig (Welsh: lady of the lake).
31. Gwydion. the wizard king of the fairies. North Wales.
32. Habetrot. queen of the spinning fairies, patroness of human spinners, generally described as very industrious and friendly but not too attractive. Scottish Borderlands.
33. the Hag of Winter. a spirit woman, the personification of winter, she is fearsome, withered, and has only one eye. Called Gentle Annie in Leicester, Black Annis in northern England, and the Cailleach Bheur in the Scottish Highlands. (John Milton called her the Blue Meagre Hag.)
34. the Hedley Kow. a monster that haunts the village of Hedley, Northumberland, England, known for transforming itself into the shape of a man, woman, horse or other beast, and for causing harm to the unwary.
35. Hraesvelger (corpse swallower). in Norse mythology, a giant wearing eagle plumage who produces the wind.
36. incubus. (ING-kyoo-bus). a male demon that preys on young women in their sleep.
37. Jenny Greenteeth. a female water spirit known for dragging people under the water to their deaths. A green scum on the surface of the water indicates her presence. Lancashire, England.
38. Jötunn. (Anglo-Saxon: eoten). in Norse mythology, a giant.
39. Kadaicha Man (Aborigine tribe Luritja: retribution man). a fearful being who chases wrongdoers to deliver justice. He walks without leaving tracks. Australia.
40. Kobold. a mining spirit. Germany.
41. Kooshd'aa K'aa. (land otter or land otter man). A malignant being who can change himself into a human being, another animal, or anything. Children who might wander off alone are warned that the Kooshd'aa K'aa would wait from them, put them in a trance and take them away. Tlingit Indians of Alaska.
42. Llamhigyn y Dwr (Welsh: the water leaper). a malevolent water spirit known for stealing fishermen's bait and for dragging sheep into the water to eat.
43. the Loireag. a female spirit, patroness of weavers and fullers (ones who beat or press cloth to increase its bulk). Highland Scotland.
44. merfolk. water spirits, including mermaids and mermen, said to very beautiful and playful, with fishtails in the place of legs.
45. the Muileartach. a hideous, one-eyed water hag of enormous size. Highland Scotland.
46. Nuckelavee. a mythical water monster, half horse and half man. Scotland.
47. the Peallaidh (Scottish: the shaggy one). chief of the Urisks. Perthshire, Scotland.
48. peerie. local term for fairy. Shetland Isles.
49. the Pellings. a race of half-human fairies, children of a fairy mother (Penelope) and human father, who dwell in Corwrion Lake. Wales.
50. pooka. a type of fairy or spirit that always appears in animal form. Ireland. (Make famous as a six foot tall invisible rabbit in the movie and play "Harvey.")
51. the Ratchet. a demonic hound, known for hunting in packs in the sky and howling before the death of a human.
52. silkie / silky / selkie / selky. a seal-like water spirit able to change his form into a man. Scotland.
53. spriggan. the ghost of a giant, usually found guarding the giant's buried treasure, usually tiny but able to grow enormous, considered to be very dangerous. Cornwall, England.
54. Tom Tit Tot. name of a particularly mischievous fairy in England. Known in Scotland as Whuppity Stoorie, in Wales as Trwtyn a Trotyn, in Cornwall as the Devil Terrytop, in Germany as Rumpelstiltzkin.
55. Tylwyth Teg (Welsh: Fair Family). local name for a group of fair-haired, larger-than-human-sized fairies.
56. the Urisk. a group of hobgoblins. Perthshire, Scotland.
57. Valkyrie (VAL-kee-ree) (chooser of the slain). in Norse mythology, one of a troop of goddesses who serve in Valhalla, land of fallen heroes, and carry out errands for Odin, king of the gods.
58. worm. general term for monstrous being akin to a dragon. England.
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Select bibliography:
The Personnel of Fairyland: A Short Account of the Fairy People of Great Britain for Those Who Tell Stories to Children, by K. M. Briggs. Detroit: Singing Tree Press, 1971, reprint of Oxford: Alden Press, 1953.
The Kingdom of Faerie, by Geoffrey Hodson. London: Theosophical Publishing House, 1927, and, Fairies at Work and at Play, Observed by Geoffrey Hodson. London: Theosophical Publishing House, 1947.
Norse Mythology, Or, the Religion of our Forefathers, by Rasmus Bjorn Anderson. Chicago, S. C. Griggs & Company, 2nd edition, 1876.
Tlingit Stories, by Marie Ackerman. Anchorage, Alaska: AMU Press, 1975.
---0---
Visit my used bookstore at gwenfoss.com
Find used books on fairies, folklore, mythology, or any other topic from reputable independent dealers at TomFolio.com
---0---
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