Found one of my favorite childhood stories online...
- peeplj
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Found one of my favorite childhood stories online...
When I was very small, my mom used to take great delight in telling me the story of the Master of All Masters. I found it online and it brought back many memories.
If you've an interest, and if you don't know the story, you can read it here:
http://www.authorama.com/english-fairy-tales-45.html
Just be sure you don't get your squibs and crackers too close to the hot cockalorum, or you'll need lots of pondalorum.
--James
If you've an interest, and if you don't know the story, you can read it here:
http://www.authorama.com/english-fairy-tales-45.html
Just be sure you don't get your squibs and crackers too close to the hot cockalorum, or you'll need lots of pondalorum.
--James
- scottielvr
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...isn't it a terrible thing, growing up. (Not that I really have , but I digress). As a child, I would have read that story and simply been delighted by its out-and-out silliness.
As an adult, though, instead of just enjoying it, I notice at once that the old gentleman points first to his bed, and then to his pantaloons, which just doesn't seem quite the thing. And the names...hot cockalorum? Oh, dear. Instead of fun, it's vaguely disturbing. Many fairy tales are like that, of course; so many of them (Little Red Riding Hood, e.g.) don't bear close scrutiny. Peter Pan had the right idea...
As an adult, though, instead of just enjoying it, I notice at once that the old gentleman points first to his bed, and then to his pantaloons, which just doesn't seem quite the thing. And the names...hot cockalorum? Oh, dear. Instead of fun, it's vaguely disturbing. Many fairy tales are like that, of course; so many of them (Little Red Riding Hood, e.g.) don't bear close scrutiny. Peter Pan had the right idea...
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scottielvr wrote:...isn't it a terrible thing, growing up. (Not that I really have , but I digress). As a child, I would have read that story and simply been delighted by its out-and-out silliness.
As an adult, though, instead of just enjoying it, I notice at once that the old gentleman points first to his bed, and then to his pantaloons, which just doesn't seem quite the thing. And the names...hot cockalorum? Oh, dear. Instead of fun, it's vaguely disturbing. Many fairy tales are like that, of course; so many of them (Little Red Riding Hood, e.g.) don't bear close scrutiny. Peter Pan had the right idea...
Cause growing up is awfuller
Than all the awful things that ever were.....
I love that version.
- djm
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Sorry, but children don't invite silliness at all. It is adults who introduce silliness to children, and it is adults who cherish silliness most of all. Children are trying desparately to figure out their world and to become adults so that they may gain personal power to do as they choose; the power they perceive parents deny them. Children may come up with charmingly wrong answers from time to time, but this is serendipity. It is an adult who appreciates the silliness, not the child.
djm
djm
I'd rather be atop the foothills than beneath them.
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The Reverend hath passed his judgement.djm wrote:Sorry, but children don't invite silliness at all. It is adults who introduce silliness to children, and it is adults who cherish silliness most of all. Children are trying desparately to figure out their world and to become adults so that they may gain personal power to do as they choose; the power they perceive parents deny them. Children may come up with charmingly wrong answers from time to time, but this is serendipity. It is an adult who appreciates the silliness, not the child.
djm
- Sliabh Luachra
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As someone who spends 7 hours a day with 7, 8, and 9 year olds, I can unabashedly say that children are, in fact, inherently silly. Sure, some of the silliness arises from my own interpretation of what is said, but most of their silliness is purposeful and intended. Just because they are young does not mean they are stupid. That tends to be a fault of more adults, in my humble opinion.
Mark
Mark
"Only a mediocre person is always at his best." -Somerset Maugham
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No problem. And I agree with you that kids in the 7-10 age range have caught on to adults feeding them crap, as well as the notion of silliness for the sake of fun, and are starting to make their own gambits into that territory. But we as adults introduce them to this stuff when they are 3-5, when they are still forming language skills and struggling to understand what is going on. Silliness is not something kids invent. It is introduced to them by adults. I don't mean to imply that kids can't take it up once they have caught on to the concept. My point was simply (and this is only my opinion from my own observations) is that kids don't invent silliness - it is an adult invention.SL wrote:I was putting words in your mouth
djm
I'd rather be atop the foothills than beneath them.