Cats Playing Fiddles

[Rashiir]

Ok, so I saw this statue of a cat playing a fiddle today. On government property. I don't know about you, but I don't believe in cats that play fiddles and I don't understand why the government can support whatever religion does believe in cats that play fiddles, but not Christianity. If they can't have a statue of the Ten Commandments then they shouldn't be able to have a statue of a cat playing a fiddle. That cat doesn't really bother me, actually. It's not forcing me to believe in cats that play fiddles or saying that believing in cats that play fiddles is the only true religion, just like a statue of the Ten Commandments doesn't force anyone to believe in them. In fact, most atheists I know think that the Ten Commandments are a very good set of standards for a society. I guess they don't know what they are, but whatever.

[Mimichan]

A cat playing a fiddle? You mean as in "Hey diddle diddle the cat and the fiddle"? Or however that rhyme goes? That's what comes to mind. I don't know of any religions that has a fiddle-playin' cat in it. Of course, that doesn't mean there ISN"T one. Frankly, I am opposed to the negative influence that nursery rhymes have on society--cat's with fiddles. Cows jumping over moons...HONESTLY! Something should be done...^_~.

[Mithrandir]

yeah, and that whole: "Ring around the rosey" thing is just disgusting. WHY do we teach kids about the black death that early in life? That's BARBARIC! Is there any left.... Oh sorry, got mixed up there for a minute.

[madphilb]

yeah, and that whole: "Ring around the rosey" thing is just disgusting. WHY do we teach kids about the black death that early in life?

How many are going to scratch their heads and not know what you're talking about OP?

PHIL

[Mithrandir]

Oh. Sorry. I'll elaborate:

OTW (Off Topic Warning)
Ring around the rosey is all about the bubonic plague. The scars were characterized by a dark ring around the crisom center: Ring around the Rosey. They also smelled pretty nasty, so people would hide flowers in their pockets to try and cover the smell: Pocket full of posies. The only way to stop the spread of the plague was to burn the bodies, and even then one person being found in a town was cause to have the people in the surrounding area quarentine the town: Ashes, ashes, we all fall down.

huh. that was pretty gross too. Sorry about that...

[Mimichan]

I used to work in a bookstore, years ago, and remember looking at the classic Mother Goose and Grimm books in the kid section...some of those stories were horrifying! The original versions (meaning unDisneyfied) were such that I doubt I could have handled them growing up, nor do I think I'd want my own children being exposed to them. Of course, I was big crybaby and had nightmares over the slightest thing...but still, the REAL fairytales and rhymes are much darker than what we get to see courtesy of "Disney" et al. And to see how stories get modified over time---Ring around the Rosey for example. The Pied Piper is another one that comes to mind. According to information I've read, this story is actually based on a serial killer who terrorized a small village in England back in the Middle Ages. He would lure children away from home...etc. I won't go into details. But over time the story changed and today we have a guy playing a flute and "luring" rats out of the village with his music. Admittedly, I read about this some time ago, so my info may not be 100% at this point...

[majanthehun]

no, you're right... most of those nursery rhymes come from england where you weren't allowed to speak ill of the king or any authority figures (on pain of death) so they made rhymes to tell stories and make fun of the royalty.

[Ashley]

Well, and plus the Grimm's fairy tales for instance, were not meant to be children's bedtime stories. They were originally written as morality tales for adults...sort of like very, very dark parables. Did you know, for instance, that in the originally Cinderella, her sisters tried on her squirrel (not glass; that was a mispelling by a french guy because the word for squirrel fur looks like the word for glass and he mistakingly spelled the latter) shoes first, but since their feet were too big, they chopped off part of their heels and toes to fit, but birds in the forest noticed the bloody shoes and told the prince, thus revealing that cheaters only hurt themselves (literally). Stuff like that. Yes, I've read the original fairy tales, and yes, it does get quite gruesome.

However, on the flip side, many English fables have actually been worsened over time. For example, the original stories of heroes like Gawain, Morgan and Guinevere did not have them as lecherous, womanizing (or in Gwen's case, adulterious) or even in Morgan's case evil creatures. Early christians un-satisfied with Gawain's association with pagan goddesses (he's actually from a few celtic myths and got assimilated into Arthur's court later)changed him, and monks unhappy with Gwen and Morgan's high position rewrote the classic stories to make them as adulterors and evil sorceresses. It was done, of course, to use these stories as a way to express whomever was telling the story's ideals and beliefs.

Can you tell I really love this stuff?

[Technomancer]

Well, and plus the Grimm's fairy tales for instance, were not meant to be children's bedtime stories.

Speak for yourself Although my mom didn't read Grimm's stories to me when I was little, she did read stuff like Beowulf, MacBeth and various viking myths (and tamer stuff like King Arthur). Okay, I had wierd childhood. But I've been meaning to get hold of the original Germanic folk tales that the Grimm brothers stuff was based on (or Grimm's own compilation).

The Arthurian myths are fun too. Trying to sort out the actual history, the celtic mythology, and the stuff inserted by the French troubadors is neat stuff. Nursery rhymes have some pretty interesting derivations too.

Can you tell I really love this stuff?

Cool. Another mythology/history junkie.

[Bobtheduck]

Hmm... that's pretty funny... A cat playing a fiddle... Darn those Nekonians...

that's a myth about "ring around the rosey" OP, if you check out the article on snopes. http://www.snopes.com

Oh, and Ash... sorry to burst your bubble, but there is no "original" cinderella... The story exists in different forms in every culture, and no origins can be traced, though it's probably chinese, but there have been different versions even in china (including one that was communist propaganda)

[Technomancer]

I don't think there is any one origin to many of these stories. The idea of the handsome prince rescuing the beautiful princess from some unpleasant family is probably one that can spring up on its own easily enough.

[Mithrandir]

I think you can at least trace it back to Sumeria. Let me check when I get home. I *think* that's right...