the fit hit the Shan (was: Re: Tiger Woods)

[Wilson Gray]

It's nice to be a member of a group to which the name, "Roger
Zelazny," means something. When I was living in Sacramento many years,
Zelazny was on the faculty of Cal State Sacramento. Like, you could
just look him up in the phone book as though he was just some random
nobody!

Likewise, when I lived in L.A., A[lfred] E[arl] van Vogt's address and
telephone number were readily available in the local phone book.

Prophets unknown, I guess.

-Wilson

On 9/22/05, Mark A. Mandel <mamandel at ldc.upenn.edu> wrote:
> ---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       "Mark A. Mandel" <mamandel at LDC.UPENN.EDU>
> Subject:      the fit hit the Shan (was: Re: Tiger Woods)
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> (waiting for an upload to complete and scanning old posts...)
>
> Wilson writ:
>
> >>>>>
>
> Back in the olden days, ca.1955, there was a version that ended, "...
> when the fit hit the Shan." I've forgotten the set-up/lead-in, or
> whatever term it is that I'm searching for here.
>
> <<<<<
>
> And Roger Zelazny, in his novel _Lord of Light_, has an entire scene that is
> part of the plot but which is also a setup to this line. A real groaner,
> esp. once you realize how you've been set up and how long he's strung you
> along.
>
> He did much the same thing in one of the Amber novels (first pentalogy) with
> "There once was a hermit named Dave...".
>
> This may have already been covered; see first line.
>
> m a m
>


--
-Wilson Gray