A tiger

[James A. Landau]

In a message dated 8/28/02 1:39:53 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
slang at BLUEYONDER.CO.UK writes:

>  The best of several 'origins' tells how, early in this century, an
American
> politician, S.S. Prentiss, was stumping the country, and came to a town
where
> there was a small menagerie on exhibition. This he hired for a day and
threw
> it open to all-comers, availing himself of the occasion to make a political
> speech. The orator, holding a 10ft. pole, stood on the tiger's cage, in the
> roof of which there was a hole, and whenever the multitudes applauded one
of
> his 'points' with three cheers, Prentiss poked the tiger, who uttered a
harsh
> roar. From this three cheers and a tiger spread over the country.

What intrigues me is the unexpected appearance of a different cliche, the
"ten foot pole" with which one does not touch something.

It's also interesting that an Australian newspaper should tell a story about
an American politician.  Note that the American was said to be "stumping the
country".   But an American would not be running (or is it "standing"?) for
office in Australia.  Apparently the Australian writer happened to have in
front of him a copy of a story about this American (S. S. Prentiss) and he
copied the story verbatim, failing to catch that "the country" was ambiguous
to an Australian reader.

For that matter, while Commonwealth countries do not lack for colorful
politicians, they do not, as far as I know, consider corny publicity stunts
as a recommendation to vote for a candidate (or for his political party).
Renting a menagerie, or those railsplitters who were so prominent in the 1860
Presidential campaign, would be considered an uncouth Americanism.

It would seem that you have managed to catch an Australian reprint of a folk
story from the US.

      - James A. Landau