Fred Shapiro's "Penis"

Bapopik at AOL.COM Bapopik at AOL.COM
Sun Aug 11 01:03:13 UTC 2002


   From FOOD IN TIBETAN LIFE (London: Prospect Books, 1985) by Rining Dorje,
pg. 42:

   There is an old proverb that goes _mengul shi, jengul lang_.  It means:
"when one plays with fire, it dies out; when one plays with one's penis, it
rises up".  This might be told to a youngster by an older person, but more
often, it would be a comment by an adult.  However, it is not something that
a mother would say in the family circle, as it would not be considered proper
to talk like this.  But, if a child needed a warning, almost anybody might
say it.  Roughly it means it is better to play with anything instead of fire.

(I'll have more from this excellent book possibly later--ed.)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------

   Sorry for the title.  Oh, behave!
   I haven't done extensive work on "penis."  I'm not sure this qualifies as
an "American food," although I'm sure some people eat it.
   A quick check of LITERATURE ONLINE comes up with 318 hits.  Many antedate
Fred Shapiro's "penis" citation.  I haven't had time to examine every "penis"
in detail; it appears that some cites actually mean "pennies."

Anon, 1100-1500 *Middle English Romances)
   SIR TRISTREM
   ...His penis wip him he bare...
   ...Of penis to hundred pounde he yaf...

Hoccleve, Thomas, c. 1366-1426
   THE REGEMENT OF PRINCES
   ...Adulterium secundum locum habet in penis.

Audelay, John, fl. 1426
   THE POEMS
   ...ne lude proditore socijs uin penis fiat.
   ...crucem tuam, libera me de penis inferne et perducere me digneris...

Dunbar, William, 1460?-1520?
   WE THAT AR HEIR IN HEVINS GLORY
   ...villam de Stirling versantes A penis et tistitijs eiusdem, Et ad...

Copland, Robert, fl. 1508-1547
   TO DYSPYSE POOR FOLKE IS NOT MY APPETITE
   ...fyue sorrowes ensueth therby exiltis penis patietur quisquis adulter
Aut erit...

Claudero, ca. 1730-ca. 1790
   A TECHNICAL SONG
   The structure of the penis too, And the vagina thro'...



More information about the Ads-l mailing list