| Author | Message | ||
| Nimue (Nimue)
New member Username: Nimue Post Number: 4130 Registered: 8-2001 |
Many Americans have a scrund about the point of a popular American legend (or maybe it should be called a popular American superstition). What is it? | ||
| Doctapeppa (Doctapeppa)
New member Username: Doctapeppa Post Number: 1993 Registered: 12-2004 |
Pecos Bill. | ||
| Nimue (Nimue)
New member Username: Nimue Post Number: 4131 Registered: 8-2001 |
Doctapeppa (Doctapeppa) New member Username: Doctapeppa Post Number: 1993 Registered: 12-2004 Posted on Tuesday, February 17, 2009 - 11:35 pm: Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only) Pecos Bill. Not to my knowledge, because I don't even know who Pecos Bill is | ||
| Doctapeppa (Doctapeppa)
New member Username: Doctapeppa Post Number: 2000 Registered: 12-2004 |
| ||
| Howardwoman (Howardwoman)
New member Username: Howardwoman Post Number: 265 Registered: 1-2008 |
Is it about one of the presidents? A folk hero? | ||
| Nimue (Nimue)
New member Username: Nimue Post Number: 4133 Registered: 8-2001 |
Howardwoman (Howardwoman) New member Username: Howardwoman Post Number: 265 Registered: 1-2008 Posted on Wednesday, February 18, 2009 - 1:06 am: Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only) Is it about one of the presidents? no A folk hero? noish | ||
| Bentarm (Bentarm)
New member Username: Bentarm Post Number: 1691 Registered: 6-2001 |
Is it about a real-life person? Is it likely that non-Americans have the same scrund? Is this legend/superstition a supposedly factual story about something that happened at some time in the past? Many times? Does it claim that if you do X, Y will happen? | ||
| Nimue (Nimue)
New member Username: Nimue Post Number: 4135 Registered: 8-2001 |
Bentarm (Bentarm) New member Username: Bentarm Post Number: 1691 Registered: 6-2001 Posted on Wednesday, February 18, 2009 - 3:00 pm: Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only) Is it about a real-life person? no Is it likely that non-Americans have the same scrund?I think noish Is this legend/superstition a supposedly factual story about something that happened at some time in the past? yesish Many times? yesishDoes it claim that if you do X, Y will happen? yesish | ||
| Doctapeppa (Doctapeppa)
New member Username: Doctapeppa Post Number: 2020 Registered: 12-2004 |
Is this "legend" in the style of urban legends?
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| Nimue (Nimue)
New member Username: Nimue Post Number: 4136 Registered: 8-2001 |
Doctapeppa (Doctapeppa) New member Username: Doctapeppa Post Number: 2020 Registered: 12-2004 Posted on Wednesday, February 18, 2009 - 10:49 pm: Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only) Is this "legend" in the style of urban legends? no quote: An urban legend, urban myth, or urban tale is a form of modern folklore consisting of stories thought to be factual by those circulating them. The term is often used to mean something akin to an "apocryphal story." Like all folklore, urban legends are not necessarily false, but they are often distorted, exaggerated, or sensationalized over time. | ||
| Doctapeppa (Doctapeppa)
New member Username: Doctapeppa Post Number: 2024 Registered: 12-2004 |
Is this a "legend" in the style of a traditional story?
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| Nimue (Nimue)
New member Username: Nimue Post Number: 4137 Registered: 8-2001 |
Doctapeppa (Doctapeppa) New member Username: Doctapeppa Post Number: 2024 Registered: 12-2004 Posted on Thursday, February 19, 2009 - 1:25 am: Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only) Is this a "legend" in the style of a traditional story? quote: Traditional stories, expressed as myth, legend, folklore, fairy tale, and fable, are used interchangeably in common speech as a synonym for popular fiction. Similar terms include anecdote, parable, and fairy stories. In the academic circles of literature, religion, history, and anthropology, these terms are important jargon to identify and interpret stories more precisely. Not every story will fall into exactly one category. Some stories belong in multiple categories and some stories do not fit into any category.yesish, but it's very short for a legend | ||
| Doctapeppa (Doctapeppa)
New member Username: Doctapeppa Post Number: 2027 Registered: 12-2004 |
Hmmm... Is it like a parable or something? | ||
| Bolapara (Bolapara)
New member Username: Bolapara Post Number: 244 Registered: 12-2008 |
Would it be about someone like Johnny AppleSeed - who was a real person but most of what we are taught about him is folklore? Or is it not about any particular person? Are ghosts relevant? headless horseman? bloody mary? Religion relevant? Is this a figure that would be mentioned in a history book? Would this folkish type person be more likely to be talked about at certain times of the year? certain times of the day or night? | ||
| Bentarm (Bentarm)
New member Username: Bentarm Post Number: 1693 Registered: 6-2001 |
'the point of' a popular american legend - the point as in the intended moral? Or is there some particular part of the story that you think many people do not know? | ||
| Nimue (Nimue)
New member Username: Nimue Post Number: 4140 Registered: 8-2001 |
Doctapeppa (Doctapeppa) New member Username: Doctapeppa Post Number: 2027 Registered: 12-2004 Posted on Thursday, February 19, 2009 - 2:28 am: Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only) Hmmm... Is it like a parable or something? not a parable Bolapara (Bolapara) New member Username: Bolapara Post Number: 244 Registered: 12-2008 Posted on Friday, February 20, 2009 - 3:54 am: Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only) Would it be about someone like Johnny AppleSeed - who was a real person but most of what we are taught about him is folklore? no. P.S. Did any of you ever go to a summer camp where you were expected to sign the "Johnny Appleseed prayer" before meals? I did (even though the camp was sopposed to be non-religious) Or is it not about any particular person? correct Are ghosts relevant? no headless horseman? no bloody mary? no Religion relevant?no Is this a figure that would be mentioned in a history book? no Would this folkish type person be more likely to be talked about at certain times of the year? yes, but it's not a person certain times of the day or night? ditto Bentarm (Bentarm) New member Username: Bentarm Post Number: 1693 Registered: 6-2001 Posted on Friday, February 20, 2009 - 3:59 pm: Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only) 'the point of' a popular american legend - the point as in the intended moral? no Or is there some particular part of the story that you think many people do not know?yope or noish | ||
| Bodo (Bodo)
New member Username: Bodo Post Number: 2593 Registered: 2-2001 |
Not something historical like the "Boston Massacre" then? Is it about an event vs. a person? Any propaganda involved? | ||
| Doctapeppa (Doctapeppa)
New member Username: Doctapeppa Post Number: 2058 Registered: 12-2004 |
Point = 1. A location or place. We should meet at a pre-arranged point. 2. (geometry) A zero-dimensional mathematical object representing a location in one or more dimensions. 3. A particular moment in an event or occurrence. There comes a point in a marathon when some people give up. At this point in the meeting, I'd like to propose a new item for the agenda. 4. The sharp tip of an object. Cut the skin with the point of the knife. 5. A peninsula. 6. (backgammon) One of the twelve triangular positions in either table of a backgammon board, on which the stones are played. 7. (arithmetic) A decimal point (used when reading decimal fractions aloud). 10.5 ("ten point five"; = ten and a half) 8. An opinion which adds (or supposedly adds) to the discussion. David made a valuable point about the strengths of our competitors. 9. (gaming) A unit of measure of success or failure in a game or competition; the unit of scoring. The one with the most points will win the game Germany awarded Greece the maximum 12 points in the Eurovision Song Contest. 10. An extremity of an animal. The point color of that cat was a deep, rich sable. 11. (rail transport, Commonwealth) a device by which trains change tracks; switch 12. (cricket) a fielding position square of the wicket on the off side, between gully and cover. 13. The position at the front or vanguard of an advancing force. * 2005: Willie Jones decided to become Kimani Jones, Black Panther, on the day his best friend, Otis Nicholson, stepped on a mine while walking point during a sweep in the central highlands. — Martin Torgoff, Can't Find My Way Home (Simon & Schuster 2005, p. 189) 14. (nautical) An angle equivalent to eleven and a quarter degrees, that is 1/32 of a circle. Most commonly used to indicate a relative bearing to an object or vessel, but can be used to describe a compass bearing. 15. A compass point. 16. (typography) a unit of measure equal to 1/12 of a pica, or approximately 1/72 of an inch (exactly 1/72 of an inch in the digital era). | ||
| Nimue (Nimue)
New member Username: Nimue Post Number: 4142 Registered: 8-2001 |
Bodo (Bodo) New member Username: Bodo Post Number: 2593 Registered: 2-2001 Posted on Saturday, February 21, 2009 - 9:36 pm: Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only) Not something historical like the "Boston Massacre" then? no Is it about an event vs. a person? Well, it's an event but it doesn't really involve a personAny propaganda involved? no Doctapeppa (Doctapeppa) New member Username: Doctapeppa Post Number: 2058 Registered: 12-2004 Posted on Sunday, February 22, 2009 - 1:33 am: Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only) Point = 1. A location or place. We should meet at a pre-arranged point. 2. (geometry) A zero-dimensional mathematical object representing a location in one or more dimensions. 3. A particular moment in an event or occurrence. There comes a point in a marathon when some people give up. At this point in the meeting, I'd like to propose a new item for the agenda. 4. The sharp tip of an object. Cut the skin with the point of the knife. 5. A peninsula. 6. (backgammon) One of the twelve triangular positions in either table of a backgammon board, on which the stones are played. 7. (arithmetic) A decimal point (used when reading decimal fractions aloud). 10.5 ("ten point five"; = ten and a half) 8. An opinion which adds (or supposedly adds) to the discussion. David made a valuable point about the strengths of our competitors. 9. (gaming) A unit of measure of success or failure in a game or competition; the unit of scoring. The one with the most points will win the game Germany awarded Greece the maximum 12 points in the Eurovision Song Contest. 10. An extremity of an animal. The point color of that cat was a deep, rich sable. 11. (rail transport, Commonwealth) a device by which trains change tracks; switch 12. (cricket) a fielding position square of the wicket on the off side, between gully and cover. 13. The position at the front or vanguard of an advancing force. * 2005: Willie Jones decided to become Kimani Jones, Black Panther, on the day his best friend, Otis Nicholson, stepped on a mine while walking point during a sweep in the central highlands. — Martin Torgoff, Can't Find My Way Home (Simon & Schuster 2005, p. 189) 14. (nautical) An angle equivalent to eleven and a quarter degrees, that is 1/32 of a circle. Most commonly used to indicate a relative bearing to an object or vessel, but can be used to describe a compass bearing. 15. A compass point. 16. (typography) a unit of measure equal to 1/12 of a pica, or approximately 1/72 of an inch (exactly 1/72 of an inch in the digital era). Point in the sense of import, as in "What's the point of that?" | ||
| Doctapeppa (Doctapeppa)
New member Username: Doctapeppa Post Number: 2128 Registered: 12-2004 |
They think that the point of a Native American legend about a tortoise creating the world is that everything should be done slowly when the point is actually that people should worship tortoises? | ||
| Nimue (Nimue)
New member Username: Nimue Post Number: 4145 Registered: 8-2001 |
Doctapeppa (Doctapeppa) New member Username: Doctapeppa Post Number: 2128 Registered: 12-2004 Posted on Thursday, February 26, 2009 - 8:47 pm: Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only) They think that the point of a Native American legend about a tortoise creating the world is that everything should be done slowly when the point is actually that people should worship tortoises? No, but you're on the right track in a general sense, actually, in 2 senses | ||
| Kalira (Kalira)
New member Username: Kalira Post Number: 28 Registered: 2-2009 |
Aha... is the story of the tortoise and the hare relevant? And the scrund is about the "moral" of the story? Do they not have the tortoise and the hare in the UK? Is the scrund that the moral shouldn't be "Slow and steady wins the race" but rather "Don't take a nap in the middle of a race"? :-) | ||
| Nimue (Nimue)
New member Username: Nimue Post Number: 4148 Registered: 8-2001 |
Kalira (Kalira) New member Username: Kalira Post Number: 28 Registered: 2-2009 Posted on Thursday, February 26, 2009 - 9:13 pm: Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only) Aha... is the story of the tortoise and the hare relevant?no And the scrund is about the "moral" of the story? no Do they not have the tortoise and the hare in the UK? I have no idea Is the scrund that the moral shouldn't be "Slow and steady wins the race" but rather "Don't take a nap in the middle of a race"? :-) no | ||
| Doctapeppa (Doctapeppa)
New member Username: Doctapeppa Post Number: 2149 Registered: 12-2004 |
Is Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock extremely relevant to this puzzle? | ||
| Nimue (Nimue)
New member Username: Nimue Post Number: 4152 Registered: 8-2001 |
Doctapeppa (Doctapeppa) New member Username: Doctapeppa Post Number: 2149 Registered: 12-2004 Posted on Wednesday, March 04, 2009 - 11:34 pm: Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only) Is Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock extremely relevant to this puzzle? It's not at all relevant. In fact, I never even heard of it before I saw this question. | ||
| Doctapeppa (Doctapeppa)
New member Username: Doctapeppa Post Number: 2154 Registered: 12-2004 |
Is it a fable? (For the purposes of this question, a "fable" is a brief, succinct story, in prose or verse, that features animals, plants, inanimate objects, or forces of nature which are anthropomorphized, and that illustrates a moral lesson, which may at the end be expressed explicitly in a pithy maxim.) Is it a parable? (For the purposes of this question, a "parable" is a brief, succinct story, in prose or verse, that illustrates a moral or religious lesson.) Is it an apologue? (For the purposes of this question, an "apologue" is a brief fable or allegorical story with pointed or exaggerated details, meant to serve as a pleasant vehicle for a moral doctrine or to convey a useful lesson without stating it explicitly.) Is it an anecdote? (For the purposes of this question, an "anecdote" is a short tale narrating an interesting or amusing biographical incident.) Is it folklore? (For the purposes of this question, "folklore" is the body of expressive culture, including tales, music, dance, legends, oral history, proverbs, jokes, popular beliefs, customs, and so forth within a particular population comprising the traditions of that culture, subculture, or group.) Is it a fairy tail? (For the purposes of this question, a "fairy tale" is a fictional story that may feature folkloric characters such as fairies, goblins, elves, trolls, giants, and talking animals, and usually enchantments, often involving a far-fetched sequence of events.) Is it a ghost story? (For the purposes of this question, a "ghost story" is a true story of an experience, or any piece of fiction, or drama, that includes a ghost, or simply takes as a premise the possibility of ghosts or the belief of some character(s) in them.) Is it a joke? (For the purposes of this question, a "joke" is a short story or ironic depiction of a situation communicated with the intent of being humorous.) Is it a tall tale? (For the purposes of this question, a "tall tale" is a story with unbelievable elements, related as if it was true and factual.) | ||
| Nimue (Nimue)
New member Username: Nimue Post Number: 4154 Registered: 8-2001 |
Posted on Friday, March 06, 2009 - 9:00 pm: Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only) Is it a fable?no (For the purposes of this question, a "fable" is a brief, succinct story, in prose or verse, that features animals, plants, inanimate objects, or forces of nature which are anthropomorphized yesish, and that illustrates a moral lesson, which may at the end be expressed explicitly in a pithy maxim.) no Is it a parable? no (For the purposes of this question, a "parable" is a brief, succinct story, in prose or verse, that illustrates a moral or religious lesson.) Is it an apologue? no (For the purposes of this question, an "apologue" is a brief fable or allegorical story with pointed or exaggerated details, meant to serve as a pleasant vehicle for a moral doctrine or to convey a useful lesson without stating it explicitly.) Is it an anecdote? yope or noish (For the purposes of this question, an "anecdote" is a short tale narrating an interesting or amusing biographical incident.) Is it folklore? yesish (For the purposes of this question, "folklore" is the body of expressive culture, including tales, music, dance, legends, oral history, proverbs, jokes, popular beliefs, customs, and so forth within a particular population comprising the traditions of that culture, subculture, or group.) Is it a fairy tail? no (For the purposes of this question, a "fairy tale" is a fictional story that may feature folkloric characters such as fairies, goblins, elves, trolls, giants, and talking animals, and usually enchantments, often involving a far-fetched sequence of events.) Is it a ghost story? no (For the purposes of this question, a "ghost story" is a true story of an experience, or any piece of fiction, or drama, that includes a ghost, or simply takes as a premise the possibility of ghosts or the belief of some character(s) in them.) Is it a joke? no (For the purposes of this question, a "joke" is a short story or ironic depiction of a situation communicated with the intent of being humorous.) Is it a tall tale? yesish (For the purposes of this question, a "tall tale" is a story with unbelievable elements, related as if it was true and factual.) | ||
| Jenburdoo (Jenburdoo)
New member Username: Jenburdoo Post Number: 736 Registered: 5-2003 |
Is this an Indian legend? A story from slavery? Some other ethnic group? Is it about (or restricted to) a particular area (The Southwest, the Mississippi, etc)? You mentioned superstitions in the puzzle statement. Do some listeners have a superstition after hearing this story (say, after hearing Sleepy Hollow, they refuse to cross a bridge at night)? Does the legend cause its hearers to believe a scrund about something? The legend isn't "Step on a crack, break your mother's back," is it? Is it in the form of some other short aphorism, or in the form of a short story told around a campfire or read in a book? | ||
| Nimue (Nimue)
New member Username: Nimue Post Number: 4157 Registered: 8-2001 |
Jenburdoo (Jenburdoo) New member Username: Jenburdoo Post Number: 736 Registered: 5-2003 Posted on Tuesday, March 10, 2009 - 11:49 pm: Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only) Is this an Indian legend? no A story from slavery? noSome other ethnic group? no particular ethnic identification that I know of Is it about (or restricted to) a particular area (The Southwest, the Mississippi, etc)? You mentioned superstitions in the puzzle statement. Do some listeners have a superstition after hearing this story possibly(say, after hearing Sleepy Hollow, they refuse to cross a bridge at night)? that's not it Does the legend cause its hearers to believe a scrund about something?possibly The legend isn't "Step on a crack, break your mother's back," is it?no Is it in the form of some other short aphorism, or in the form of a short story told around a campfire or read in a book? It's a superstition, Very unlikely anyone would tell it around a campfire | ||
| Noobdogg (Noobdogg)
Moderator Username: Noobdogg Post Number: 6 Registered: 3-2009 |
The toothfairy? Does the 'superstition' involve saying something? doing something? perhaps a gesture such as "touchwood" or crossing one's fingers? Is it something a mother would say to her child? as a warning? or is it meant to be cute? Would you perceive it as generally harmless? unintelligent? redundant? pointless completely? | ||
| Nimue (Nimue)
New member Username: Nimue Post Number: 4162 Registered: 8-2001 |
Noobdogg (Noobdogg) Moderator Username: Noobdogg Post Number: 6 Registered: 3-2009 Posted on Tuesday, March 17, 2009 - 6:11 am: Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only) The toothfairy? no Does the 'superstition' involve saying something? no doing something? yesperhaps a gesture such as "touchwood" or crossing one's fingers? no Is it something a mother would say to her child? possiblyas a warning? noor is it meant to be cute? yes Would you perceive it as generally harmless? yesunintelligent? yesredundant? nopointless completely?yes | ||
| Noobdogg (Noobdogg)
Moderator Username: Noobdogg Post Number: 31 Registered: 3-2009 |
Would you be so kind as to specify which of those entities are yesishly anthropomorphized? | ||
| Nimue (Nimue)
New member Username: Nimue Post Number: 4166 Registered: 8-2001 |
Noobdogg (Noobdogg) Moderator Username: Noobdogg Post Number: 31 Registered: 3-2009 Posted on Friday, March 20, 2009 - 7:57 am: Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only) quote: For the purposes of this question, a "fable" is a brief, succinct story, in prose or verse, that features animals, plants, inanimate objects, or forces of nature which are anthropomorphized yesish Would you be so kind as to specify which of those entities are yesishly anthropomorphized?It's an animal. And I'll be so kind as to add that you should find out what animal | ||
| Noobdogg (Noobdogg)
Moderator Username: Noobdogg Post Number: 39 Registered: 3-2009 |
I thought of the Easter bunny before but realised religion was irrelevant. Smokey the Bear? (or Smacky the frog for Mitch Hedberg fans :-D) Speaking of frogs, perhaps the whole kiss the frog - get a prince deal? Is the animal feline? canine? primate? | ||
| Nimue (Nimue)
New member Username: Nimue Post Number: 4169 Registered: 8-2001 |
Noobdogg (Noobdogg) Moderator Username: Noobdogg Post Number: 39 Registered: 3-2009 Posted on Friday, March 20, 2009 - 5:03 pm: Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only) I thought of the Easter bunny before but realised religion was irrelevant. That's right--it's not the Easter bunny Smokey the Bear? (or Smacky the frog for Mitch Hedberg fans :-D) no Speaking of frogs, perhaps the whole kiss the frog - get a prince deal? no Is the animal feline? nocanine? no primate? no | ||
| Peter365 (Peter365)
New member Username: Peter365 Post Number: 1828 Registered: 1-2007 |
Is it a bird? The Stork? | ||
| Nimue (Nimue)
New member Username: Nimue Post Number: 4170 Registered: 8-2001 |
Peter365 (Peter365) New member Username: Peter365 Post Number: 1828 Registered: 1-2007 Posted on Tuesday, March 24, 2009 - 1:08 pm: Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only) Is it a bird?no The Stork? no | ||
| Haenlomal (Haenlomal)
New member Username: Haenlomal Post Number: 974 Registered: 9-2003 |
Insect? If yes, ant? Grasshopper? | ||
| Jenburdoo (Jenburdoo)
New member Username: Jenburdoo Post Number: 828 Registered: 5-2003 |
Anything to do with saying "Bless you!" after sneezing? A sort of fable... but not Native or African-American, hence not Coyote the trickster or Brer Rabbit... I just finished Watership Down and was thinking about that. Is this a distinctly American superstition? If it is in the form of "If you do X, then Y will happen," is Y a negative or a positive result, and is X a negative or positive thing to do? Oh, and you never answered this one: Is it about (or restricted to) a particular area (The Southwest, the Mississippi, etc)? Paul Bunyan stories, for example, are not commonly told in, say, Arizona. Is this scrund/superstition well known, or is it dying out? Is it only well know among folklore experts? Would a child be likely to know it? A college student? A parent? An oldster? Has it been exported to other countries? Are similar superstitions held elsewhere? Is the supernatural involved? Anything scientifically measurable (for example, you can't tell if salt tossed over your shoulder is really going into the Devil's eyes, but you could tell if "Red sky at morning, sailor's warning" actually meant something.) | ||
| Nimue (Nimue)
New member Username: Nimue Post Number: 4171 Registered: 8-2001 |
Haenlomal (Haenlomal) New member Username: Haenlomal Post Number: 974 Registered: 9-2003 Posted on Wednesday, March 25, 2009 - 12:14 am: Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only) Insect?no If yes, ant? Grasshopper? Jenburdoo (Jenburdoo) New member Username: Jenburdoo Post Number: 828 Registered: 5-2003 Posted on Wednesday, March 25, 2009 - 4:06 am: Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only) Anything to do with saying "Bless you!" after sneezing? no A sort of fable... but not Native or African-American, hence not Coyote the trickster or Brer Rabbit... I just finished Watership Down and was thinking about that. Is this a distinctly American superstition? yesish If it is in the form of "If you do X, then Y will happen," yope or noishis Y a negative or a positive resultthat's the scrund!, and is X a negative or positive thing to do? see previous answer Oh, and you never answered this one: sorry! Is it about (or restricted to) a particular area (The Southwest, the Mississippi, etc)? yes Paul Bunyan stories, for example, are not commonly told in, say, Arizona. Is this scrund/superstition well known, or is it dying out? the former Is it only well know among folklore experts? no Would a child be likely to know it? yesA college student? yesA parent? yesOldster? yes ("Oldster"??)Has it been exported to other countries? I don' knows Are similar superstitions held elsewhere?ditto Is the supernatural involved? no Anything scientifically measurable (for example, you can't tell if salt tossed over your shoulder is really going into the Devil's eyes, but you could tell if "Red sky at morning, sailor's warning" actually meant something? yes or yesish | ||
| Jenburdoo (Jenburdoo)
New member Username: Jenburdoo Post Number: 835 Registered: 5-2003 |
Possible areas the scrund is from/about/restricted to: Southwest? Deep South? Mississippi? Great Plains? Rocky Mountains? Appalachians? Alaska? Hawaii? Pacific coast? Atlantic coast? New England? Tidewater? Old Northwest (Ohio, Michigan, etc)? I think that covers everywhere. Oldster? yes ("Oldster"??) Well, the last time I asked, "Senior Citizen?" you were annoyed, and this was the first non-PC term that came to mind. [grin] You said noish to a folk hero. Several folk heroes? A group? Someone who is not generally considered a "folk hero?" Did he/she/they exist in real life? Or something akin to them? Is a band, crew, tribe, or some other sort of group involved? Jesse James or the Wild Bunch? Any criminal activities involved? Does the story/fable/superstition feature animals? Talking ones? Are the hero(es) H/A/M? Would it help to determine the era in which the story is set -- ie Colonial, pre-Civil War, post-Civil War, Westward Expansion, etc? Is this a story we would learn in school, from our families, from tv, from friends and neighbors? | ||
| Nimue (Nimue)
New member Username: Nimue Post Number: 4172 Registered: 8-2001 |
Jenburdoo (Jenburdoo) New member Username: Jenburdoo Post Number: 835 Registered: 5-2003 Posted on Thursday, March 26, 2009 - 2:37 am: Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only) Possible areas the scrund is from/about/restricted to: Southwest?no Deep South? noMississippi? noGreat Plains? possibly could apply there but not the origin|Rocky Mountains? dittoAppalachians? ditto dittoAlaska? no Hawaii? no Pacific coast? no Atlantic coast? yope New England? could apply there but not the originTidewater? Does that mean Maryland & Virginia? If so, no Old Northwest (Ohio, Michigan, etc)?yes I think that covers everywhere. Oldster? yes ("Oldster"??) Well, the last time I asked, "Senior Citizen?" you were annoyed, and this was the first non-PC term that came to mind. [grin] Gee, whatever happened to 'old person'??!! You said noish to a folk hero. Several folk heroes?b{ no} A group? noSomeone who is not generally considered a "folk hero?" yopeDid he/she/they exist in real life?yope Or something akin to them? see previous answerIs a band, crew, tribe, or some other sort of group involved? no Jesse James or the Wild Bunch no? no Any criminal activities involved? Does the story/fable/superstition feature animals? yes Talking ones? noAre the hero(es) H no/A no/M yesish? Would it help to determine the era in which the story is set -- ie Colonial, pre-Civil War, post-Civil War, Westward Expansion, etc? no specific era Is this a story we would learn in school, from our families, from tv, from friends and neighbors? yes to all | ||
| Nimue (Nimue)
New member Username: Nimue Post Number: 4175 Registered: 8-2001 |
HINT: As soon as you guess the animal, you should be able to identify the superstition in question. | ||
| Bolapara (Bolapara)
New member Username: Bolapara Post Number: 445 Registered: 12-2008 |
blue ox? black cat? | ||
| Nimue (Nimue)
New member Username: Nimue Post Number: 4180 Registered: 8-2001 |
Bolapara (Bolapara) New member Username: Bolapara Post Number: 445 Registered: 12-2008 Posted on Saturday, March 28, 2009 - 6:38 pm: Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only) blue ox? no black cat? no | ||
| Jenburdoo (Jenburdoo)
New member Username: Jenburdoo Post Number: 856 Registered: 5-2003 |
Coyote? Fox? Bre'r Rabbit? Beaver? Is the animal a carnivore, herbivore, insectivore or omnivore? Is it a chordate? Is it fish or fowl? | ||
| Nimue (Nimue)
New member Username: Nimue Post Number: 4182 Registered: 8-2001 |
Jenburdoo (Jenburdoo) New member Username: Jenburdoo Post Number: 856 Registered: 5-2003 Posted on Wednesday, April 01, 2009 - 2:58 pm: Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only) Coyote? Fox? Bre'r Rabbit? Beaver? no to all 4 Is the animalba carnivore, herbivore, insectivore or omnivore? I don't know Is it a chordate? yes Is it fish or fowl? neither | ||
| D_gordon (D_gordon)
New member Username: D_gordon Post Number: 429 Registered: 11-2008 |
Is the relevant animal a reptile? Amphibian? Mammal? | ||
| Nimue (Nimue)
New member Username: Nimue Post Number: 4183 Registered: 8-2001 |
D_gordon (D_gordon) New member Username: D_gordon Post Number: 429 Registered: 11-2008 Posted on Friday, April 03, 2009 - 12:06 am: Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only) Is the relevant animal a reptile? Amphibian? Mammal? mammal | ||
| Kalira (Kalira)
New member Username: Kalira Post Number: 116 Registered: 2-2009 |
Is the relevant animal a rodent? canine? feline? ursine? porcine? ovine? bovine? a primate? a monotreme? a lagomorph? batlike? a whale? a dolphin? a marsupial? | ||
| Nimue (Nimue)
New member Username: Nimue Post Number: 4188 Registered: 8-2001 |
Kalira (Kalira) New member Username: Kalira Post Number: 116 Registered: 2-2009 Posted on Wednesday, April 08, 2009 - 7:06 pm: Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only) Is the relevant animal a rodent? canine? feline? ursine? porcine? ovine? bovine? a primate? a monotreme? a lagomorph? batlike? a whale? a dolphin? a marsupial? it is a rodent | ||
| Kalira (Kalira)
New member Username: Kalira Post Number: 121 Registered: 2-2009 |
Hmm... "If you build a better mousetrap, someone's going to build a better mouse"? Is it a mouse? rat? hamster? guinea pig? chinchilla? :-D | ||
| Nimue (Nimue)
New member Username: Nimue Post Number: 4191 Registered: 8-2001 |
Kalira (Kalira) New member Username: Kalira Post Number: 121 Registered: 2-2009 Posted on Wednesday, April 08, 2009 - 10:35 pm: Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only) Hmm... "If you build a better mousetrap, someone's going to build a better mouse"? No, but I like that! Is it a mouse? rat? hamster? guinea pig? chinchilla? none of those :-D | ||
| Kalira (Kalira)
New member Username: Kalira Post Number: 122 Registered: 2-2009 |
How about a groundhog? Prediction of spring relevant? | ||
| Nimue (Nimue)
New member Username: Nimue Post Number: 4192 Registered: 8-2001 |
Kalira (Kalira) New member Username: Kalira Post Number: 122 Registered: 2-2009 Posted on Thursday, April 09, 2009 - 2:13 pm: Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only) How about a groundhogYes!! The scrund involves Groundhog Day! Now, please finish it off!! Prediction of spring relevant? Yes!! | ||
| Kalira (Kalira)
New member Username: Kalira Post Number: 126 Registered: 2-2009 |
Okay, so the scrund -- does it have to do with whether or not rodents actually have the ability to predict the weather? the fact that there are always 6 more weeks of winter after Feb. 2? the origins of the holiday? the fact that the term "groundhog day" has come to be associated with going through the same thing over and over again (as in the movie)? | ||
| Nimue (Nimue)
New member Username: Nimue Post Number: 4194 Registered: 8-2001 |
Kalira (Kalira) New member Username: Kalira Post Number: 126 Registered: 2-2009 Posted on Thursday, April 09, 2009 - 8:11 pm: Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only) Okay, so the scrund -- does it have to do with whether or not rodents no the fact that there are always 6 more weeks of winter after Feb. 2? yes the origins of the holiday? no the fact that the term "groundhog day" has come to be associated with going through the same thing over and over again (as in the movie)? no This is close enough for me to declare a ************ SPOILER ***************** The Groundhog Day story is that if the groundhog sees his shadow (in Western Pennsylvania), there will be 6 more weeks of winter. Otherwise, spring is right around the corner.The scrund is that the legend assumes that 6 more weeks of winter weather would be a lot for that area. But it's actually less than average, so people who hate winter should hope that the groundhog sees his shadow so they'll have only 6 more weeks of winter instead of the more usual 7 or so.Thanks for solving it, Kalira, & how about directing that clever lateral mind to my ongoing puzzles as well as to the one I'm about to post at the bottom of the page? |
