September 21, 2005
Stanford Solar Centre: Folklore
In the beginning there was only darkness and people kept bumping into each other. Fox said that people on the other side of the world had plenty of light but were too greedy to share it. Possum went over there to steal a little piece of the light. He found the Sun hanging in a tree, lighting everything up. He took a tiny piece of the Sun and hid it in the fur of his tail. The heat burned the fur off his tail. That is why possums have bald tails.
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No. The possum has a bald tail because long ago, when all the creatures of the earth could walk and talk like men, the possum had a big fluffy tail like a maine coon cat. He was very proud of it, to the point of arrogance, and would show it off at every occasion and brag to less fluffy-tailed animals all the time. Tiring of this, the other animals decided to get their own back. Big Chief Rabbit (or someone) spread the word he was having a party, with prizes for the most fably attired and coiffed animals. Of course, possum decided to show his tail off and win. The grasshopper offered to dress his tail for him. Possum fell asleep through the relaxing stroking and plaiting of his tail. While asleep, the grasshopper chewed all the fur off and bound the tail. He awoke the possum and told him not to unbind the tail until at the party, so as to keep the intricate style. Imagine how the other animals laughed!
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Possums are damn ugly, and even more so with a big fluffy tail. No way in hell could a creature that ugly get cocky about his looks. Must've been the sun.
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One time I put my hand in the letter box as you do, and I felt this ropey thing, and then it moved, so I pulled my hand back, swearing and hopping about like a scared person. It was a possum. In the letter box.
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Ah. That's a beautiful story. A possum in a letterbox! Teh cute (but ugly).
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Ugly? What, liddle baby possums?
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This was an Australian possum, of course. I forget if it had a furry tail, I believe it had hair. I got a stick and banged on the top and it took off into a tree.
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The top of the letter box.
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I was worried for a moment there...
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Fish gotta swim, birds gotta fly, Possums expects to get mail by and by.
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Fish gotta swim, birds gotta fly, Possums expects to get mail by and by.
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There is unrest in the forest. There is trouble with the trees, for the Maples want more sunlight and the Oaks ignore their pleas... (C'mon, Rush fans, you know the rest by now...)
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the forever fox old fox has something of a mirror's expertise in bridging and in balancing two worlds -- any two fox tends to roam he gives a yap not quite a bark he steps across thresholds he can look under the daylight and see inside the dark with his not-quite cat's eyes one day he ran through fire and this is why his feet and mouth burnt black as he brought a smouldering coal to the world of men
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Opossum Linda Hepner Opossum Opossa: Third Declension in Algonquin What's worse, a toothy rat Or declination pokes? How punish tit for tat Pedantary jokes? Some scream, others run To find a heavy pot, Kill the varmint with a stun, Don't regret its lot. Some note the story when They look up from their book; Where's a man when you need men? And that is why I took A heavy pot of boiling oil, You'd call it overkill, Because it's worse to let words roil And sap your nerves and skill. Who wins the possum race In the garbage bin? Ye opossa watch this space: Grammar did you in.