“A scorpion asks a frog to carry it across a river. The frog hesitates, afraid of being stung, but the scorpion argues that if it did so, they would both drown. Considering this, the frog agrees, but midway across the river the scorpion does indeed sting the frog, dooming them both. When the frog asks …
Category: folklore
Feb 08
Krampus comes back from college for Christmas
“Ma, I’m home!” “I’m in the kitchen, Krampus! Come give your mom a hug.” “Maaaaa!” “You know the rules, Krampus–no hugs, no dinner.” Krampus lumbered into the kitchen, dumped his bags on the floor, and limply hugged his mother. “Hey, ma, I brought a friend home from college. This is Nick. Nick, this is my ma, …
Nov 17
Donegal Danny
There is a folk song called Donegal Danny about a man whose ship was caught in a storm and all of his fellow fishermen perished. Here are part of the lyrics: “And often at night when the sea is high And the rain is tearing at my skin I hear the cries of drowning men …
Dec 27
petticoat government
n. A government by women, especially at home. “…instead of being a subject to his Majesty George the Third, he was now a free citizen of the United States. Rip, in fact, was no politician; the changes of states and empires made but little impression on him; but there was one species of despotism under …
