Thursday, June 29, 2006

Fairy

FAIRY, n. A creature, variously fashioned and endowed, that formerly inhabited the meadows and forests. It was nocturnal in its habits, and somewhat addicted to dancing and the theft of children. The fairies are now believed by naturalist to be extinct, though a clergyman of the Church of England saw three near Colchester as lately as 1855, while passing through a park after dining with the lord of the manor. The sight greatly staggered him, and he was so affected that his account of it was incoherent. In the year 1807 a troop of fairies visited a wood near Aix and carried off the daughter of a peasant, who had been seen to enter it with a bundle of clothing. The son of a wealthy bourgeois disappeared about the same time, but afterward returned. He had seen the abduction been in pursuit of the fairies. Justinian Gaux, a writer of the fourteenth century, avers that so great is the fairies' power of transformation that he saw one change itself into two opposing armies and fight a battle with great slaughter, and that the next day, after it had resumed its original shape and gone away, there were seven hundred bodies of the slain which the villagers had to bury. He does not say if any of the wounded recovered. In the time of Henry III, of England, a law was made which prescribed the death penalty for "Kyllynge, wowndynge, or mamynge" a fairy, and it was universally respected.

2006 Update: A swing voter.

Everyone, Minka's leaving for awhile so let's wish her a good trip after she get's the first comment Schöne und sichere reise, Eiskönigin!

47 comments:

Minka said...

Ah...you are to sweet and kind!
I feel it is only appropraite that I am FIRST!!!! *aetschebaetsche!!!*

Anonymous said...

have a great trip, Minka! and may the soccer fairies be good to your team! (and i mean that in the *best* way...doug!)

The amoeba said...

FAIRY, n. A punster, variously dressed, on a boat - especially common in the American Pacific Northwest. One who should have been very, very careful where she stood after opening a book of tales.

And here I thought a swing voter was one that was sitting in the playground hollering for a push, Doug.

Tschuß, Minka.

Evil Minx said...

Fairy - the thing that hid my father's reading glasses, according to my mother.

Of course, according to my father, somebody *stole* them.

Minka, have a wonderful trip. Your position at the top of the comment box will be sorely missed. In fact, Doug, i think you should leave an honorary "Yay! The penguin is first!" comment every day until Minka returns. Who's with me?

dddragon said...

I'm with you, Evil Minx. And I intend on waving at the TV everytime the crowd is shown during the Games.

Fairy: in the 1980s, a guy who is "light in his loafers".

Ariel the Thief said...

have a wonderful time with family and friends in Germany, Monika!!! although I hope not everybody who get's the first comment will have to get on the plane from now... :-D

Anonymous said...

Fairy: sidekick. see Peter Pan and/or Batman

i agree with evil minx & dddragon... honor the lovely minka by posting her *penguin first* comment every day she's away!

fairy: fruit that falls not far from the tree?

Anonymous said...

Have a great trip Minka. Yes, it won't be the same with a "penguin first" comment.

I was told fairies were what gave me my freckles. *sigh* Can they take them back?

Unknown said...

i like faeries because they have wands. Freddy Mercury was one of my favourites

have a great trip Minka!

frhjxef: fairies are jinxed ... ef!

Minka said...

Ah You Guys!
this is such a wonderful feeling.
Thanks for putting up with me, I know it can be a challenge at times;)

Fairies never really made it big in Iceland. Although we have certain areas here that are protected, becuase-wiat for it- it is where the elves live!
I wish I was kidding! We have such a thing as an elf-expert, who was interviewed yesterdya in the evening news. We take our imaginations very seriously!

mireille said...

bon voyage, Minka! xoxo

Kyahgirl said...

Minka-have a great visit in Germany. I'll miss our little penguin!


laundry fairy: kyahgirl's Mom. Visits twice a year for 3-4 weeks, does all the laundry, the backlog of ironing, all the mending (including dog toys) and flies back to the mists of the coast. For the price of a plane ticket and room and board (she eats less than a fairy), she will go freelance.

Doug The Una said...

I feel that too, Minka. I googled ätschebätsche and all I can tell is it's something for Germans to scream at the Fußball match. Care to do a guest definition before leaving?

Of course, Puppybrose. I wish the same.

Aha, O Ceallaigh. Thanks for starting the puns early.

Minx, hiding eyeglasses, moving car keys and voting electronically seem to be their professions.

Dddragon, like the guy in the picture?

Ariel, where will you go?

Puppybrose, I was seeing this as a chance for other people. Besides, shouldn't we be encouraging Minka to find a computer once a day?

Jenna, freckles are philanthropic for a fairy.

Karma, I'm scared to ask what you mean by wand so I'll just say great job with the verifier.

Really, Minka? You have Elf Preserves? By golly, you guys must get time to think.

Thanks, Mireille. Zockso!

Kyahgirl, that's one helpful fairy!

Mistress Anna said...

Male Fashionista (sometimes):)

Mutha said...

Fairy: Another example of a word that was once considered whimsical and is now thrown as a dart.

See also: gay

I was once a Brownie which is heavy into the Fairy lore. As a little girl I thought it was the coolest and made little beds and food out of flowers to leave by my windowsill in hopes fairies would use them.
Then it was time to be a Girl Scout which got all military and goal oriented. In an early show of ambivalence towards authority, I dropped out.

I am pro-penguin.

Minka said...

hey...that is an ingenious idea with Doug postign a comment at first position for me each day. That wouldn´t be annoying at all :)
Some of you have been sprinkled with fairy dust, yor imagination sure does fly!
5 hours until I leave...

Logophile said...

Everything I know about fairies I learned from
Lady Cottington's Pressed Fairy Book.

Have fun, Minka, we will miss you!

G said...

Minka - auf wiedersehen! Although rooting for Bra-zil Bra-zil in my house (love to start a little friendly fun:), wish you lots of fun watching cheering and visiting!

fairy: little creatures built to carry at least 10 times their weight. As in the tooth fairy. The one in our house is named Lavendar - don't ask.

And don't think I don't know where this post was going bub.

G said...

Just reading backwards - Karma - he was one of mine too.


uequn: ue queen!

G said...

Ah yes, I vote for the in honor of Minka first post by Doug!

Doug The Una said...

Mistress, that would make me an ogre, I think. I wear only Giorgio Kmarti.

Mutha, pro-penguin, pro-fairy and anti-authority is a fine platform. Mutha for President!

I have a better one, Minka. See the bottom of this comment.

Logo, I've never heard of that book but the title is hilarious.

Brian, that was very well done. Of course I would never have been so presumptious.

G, Ätschebätsche, I think.

OK, so here's my proposal on the penguin, who I might add is leaving us on vacation, not to serve the dying in Calcutta: To raise as many torches as possible, while Minka's away why doesn't whoever comments first add "Minka First." Now you are all challenged to remember her daily and try to get here first.

Alana said...

Farewell monika! Have a wonderful vacation!

"...who I might add is leaving us on vacation, not to serve the dying in Calcutta" Hahaha Doug!

And that is hysterical about the elves in Iceland! You learn something everyday. Although I'm certain there are elves that sneak into my apartment and move my stuff around to confuse me...or would that be gnomes who do that?

Kyahgirl said...

Mutha you just gave me a flashback! I liked all the fairy stuff in Brownies too but got progressively more turned off as it went along and then Girl Guides turned me right off for the same reasons you mentioned about Scouts.

I agree with Doug-Mutha for President!!

And Doug, I think your usual devious and clever mind has come up with a great solution to the Penguin Posting issue!

G said...

Aetschebaetsche to you too! which for the uninitiated (I went to my source on this) means nah nah nah nah naaaah!

Anonymous said...

re: "Penguin First" conundrum? good plan, Solomon!

Doug The Una said...

Squaregirl, aren't you paying attention? It's fairies! Square fairies!

Kyahgirl, I thought all Canadians were anti-authoritarian and pro-penguin.

G, your source being a Romanian hairdresser? They know everything, don't they.

Thanks, Puppybrose. Now about that baby...

G said...

let's just say, a little fairy...

Minka said...

I love it...grand suggetsion!
I am gonna be gone for 30 days, I can´t wait to see when you guys will have forgotten me...

Minka said...

Just kidding...I loved the attention today. Youa ll are fabulous and thanks for playing along!

The amoeba said...

ich halte nicht so, Minka. But do sprinkle some fairy dust on the garden on your way out, eh?

:)

Jamie Dawn said...

Ambrose was rather LONG winded today.
Thankfully, Doug was not.

Have a wonderful trip, Minka!!

Fairy: Tinkerbell.

Anonymous said...

Actonbell: i've always thought the Lucky Charms dude was a *wee* bit too excited about all those yellow stars and pink hearts... so, maybe!

Anonymous said...

It seems that she's a fairy
From Andersen's library!
And I took her for the proprietor
Of a lady's semin-ary!

Rio said...

hmmm......swing voter indeed, they are rather flighty.

i got a job at a progressive radio station. www.kxra540.com to listen to the live stream maybe you'll be interested maybe not.

Doug The Una said...

Let's say that, G. Very good.

Minka, I think we can keep you in mind for 30 days, but I wouldn't dally on the way back.

O Ceallaigh, you and your catnip.

Jamie Dawn, those are two good examples.

Actonbell, you know the stuffi inside a twinkie?

Haha, Puppybrose.

Weirsdo, I don't even have to check anymore.

Great news, Rio. Congratulations. I'll wager that's KRXA, though.

Rio said...

youre right im awful trying to get you to listen and mistyping thanks though

www.krxa540.com

Ariel the Thief said...

there's a place called heaven and a place called hell
a place called prison and a place called jail
ariel is on her way to all except one

(apoligies to Eminem)

ok, who's that guy?

Sar said...

Even though I realize I'm too late for her to see it, let the record reflect I said Bon Voyage and safe trip to that pain who thinks she's entitled to the top spot every damned day....er...my sweet, dear sistah Minka!

As for your word today Doug, I couldn't say why but I just happen to think that it's a funny word a funny definition and just funny, funny, funny. Did I mention funny? ;)

Unknown said...

haha Sar :))

well, dawg, if i'm first - which i am not at all interested in being - i'm not going to apologise for it. Fairy law forbids it :P

*quietly flutters wings and flies away*

Anonymous said...

You just wrecked my Peter Pan fantasy but .......lol.............whatever.

I prefer gnomes.

TLP said...

Wait. Fairies are real. Right? I know that if you kiss your elbow, you can turn into a fairy. I always wanted to be one. Never could kiss my elbow. Hope that wasn't some kinda myth or somethin'.

Bye, Bye Minka. take care.

Doug The Una said...

Rio, I listened for awhile. Sounds like a fun place to work. Unless you have TEAM W tattooed where it's obvious. You know, when I've been to Santa Cruz for work I listened to your station.

Ariel, I'm glad you asked that. Here's the story: The Secretary of our Department of Homeland Security is a pixie-ish man named Michael Chertoff so I thought I'd use his picture. I did an image search and was stunned to be at the website of David Duke, an infamous white supremacist. I noticed in all of his pictures he seems to be wearing make-up and his hair is coiffed and I thought, now there's no-one living dead or unborn I'd rather call a fairy. So there ya go.

Sar, glad you enjoyed it.

Karma, you don't have to apologize for nothing.

Cooper, that's really very nice to hear.

TLP, they were real but no-one has kissed their elbow in so long, I just don't know anymore.

Ariel the Thief said...

oh so he's irony. Doug, I don't think there's anyone else to whom you say 'fairy', and they associate to politicians. what fairytale comes out of that...

oh look, x-rated verifier: sxqzvi

Alana said...

Oh, yes fairies! the ones whose existance is based on people believing that that they exist...isn't that true for most creatures? I just got distracted by the elves that live in Iceland and couldn't remember which of these little creatures was known for playing tricks and hiding stuff...

drdaibyu: Mr. prez regardless of the size and presence of the moon.

Doug The Una said...

Not at all, Ariel. "Fairy" is sometimes a slur used cruelly against boys who like boys and fairly against men who wear make-up.

Squaregirl, Squaries for short.

Anonymous said...

doug... i just read your explanation for the picture and am now laughing my as... well, i'm laughing reallyreally hard! (note to self: remember to keep paper towel handy when reading WA)

Ralph Reed might have been another good choice... but i think you came up with a winner!

mireille said...

Oh yeah, Chertoff is a pixie all right. A pixie who looks like he's right out of the Cheka. xoxo