LL-L "Literature" 2007.05.05 (01) [E]

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L O W L A N D S - L  -  05 May 2007 - Volume 01

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From: Mark Dreyer <mrdreyer at lantic.net>
Subject: LL-L "Literature" 2007.05.04 (06) [E]

Dear Pat:

Subject: LL-L "Etymology"

 >> Mark Dreyer wrote "who could possibly not know the origin of the
>shaggy dog story

and enlightened me!  The four scholars know this tale, it turns out, but
want evidence of anything known as a 'shaggy dog story' (with or without
canine) before 1946.


I wonder if it existed before 1946. One can see from the verbal tags that
the tale is steeped in the doings of early commercial aviation. As a kid I
heard it from my Uncle Chris, a fighter pilot in Korea, also virtually
unchanged from my Uncle Eddy, who retired some years ago as the senior pilot
of SAA, my American uncle Bud Tomae, a bush-pilot & petrochemicals
prospector from outer Montana, & my father, who in his youth did things with
biplanes like gypsy moths, & lady's handkerchiefs on the runway. Uncle
Eddy's was the tale as I related it, & he told it with the reverence of a
catechism to his ancient craft.

But I bet such anecdotes existed from time immemorial, only the shaggy dog
brought with it a plot of such histrionic potential & so mind-bendingly
banal a punchline that it was forthwith adopted as the masterpiece, the
'mastery' of which opened the tyro to the drinking company of flying men, or
perhaps the flying company of drinking men.

To Ed Alexander,

> Finally, they compromised, and laid a charge of making an obscene clone
fall.
 Ha ha ha ho ho ho thatisagoodone Ed, have a drink on me.

By the way, My Ruth holds that shaggy stories are waste of brain space, & we
should desist: Forthwith. so, I shall spare you all the delights of the
doings of Wally & Goppy, & Tarzant, & the Dread Mystery of the Monk.

Yrs,
Mark

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From: Reuben Epp <reuben at uniserve.com>
Subject: LL-L "Literature" 2007.05.04 (06) [E]

Pat Reynolds writes:  <pat at caerlas.demon.co.uk>
Subject: LL-L "Etymology" 2007.05.04 (02) [E]

Lowlands-L List < lowlands.list at gmail.com> writes

>> Mark Dreyer wrote "who could possibly not know the origin of the
>shaggy dog story
and enlightened me!  The four scholars know this tale, it turns out, but
want evidence of anything known as a 'shaggy dog story' (with or without
canine) before 1946.

Many thanks,

Pat

Reuben Epp: reuben at uniserve.com replies:

I do not know the origin of the 'shaggy dog story,' but I remember this
version which I must have heard before 1946. Here goes with what I
remember of it:

It was in England, probably in the 17th century, at a time when servicemen
who had become knights roamed the countryside to sustain themselves by
telling tales or by playing intruments and singing to the patrons of country
inns where they overnighted. On this particular occasion, a small knight who
was in fact a midget, rode into a country inn one late evening on the back
of
a very shaggy, large dog.

The innkeeper was at first not kindly disposed toward the shaggy dog, but
decided to tolerate his presence out of respect to the little knight whose
dog was his steed. The little knight requested the innkeeper to allow him to
stay for the night with the shaggy dog sleeping on the floor beside his bed.
The innkeeper reluctantly agreed, after receiving assurances that the dog
would create no problems

Early on the following morning the little knight rode his dog to the front
desk to square away his bill with the innkeeper before leaving for the day.
The innkeeper replied, "I'm sorry, but you cannot leave here now! I would
not let a knight out on a dog like this!"

Cheers!

Reuben Epp

•

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