Silliness Dead (or pining?) Parrot sketch originated in Ancient Greece

Patricia · 11-13-2008, 06:25 AM

It seems that there is nothing new under the sun, and that Monty Python derives from classical Greek sources; or so it is claimed here:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7725079.stm

Gaurnim · 11-13-2008, 07:16 AM

Thanks for the info, and the reminder about this sketch.
It's a personal favourite, and it was a pleasure seeing it mentioned in one of the books of the Thursday Next series.

vivaldirules · 11-13-2008, 08:43 AM

Excellent, Patricia. I found a few more:

http://www.stoa.org/diotima/anthology/quinn_jokes.shtml

A misogynist stood in the marketplace and announced: "I'm putting my wife up for sale, tax-free!" When people asked him why, he said: "So the authorities will impound her."

pshrynk · 11-13-2008, 09:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vivaldirules

Excellent, Patricia. I found a few more:

http://www.stoa.org/diotima/anthology/quinn_jokes.shtml

A misogynist stood in the marketplace and announced: "I'm putting my wife up for sale, tax-free!" When people asked him why, he said: "So the authorities will impound her."

Wow. Those are real thigh slappers.

vivaldirules · 11-13-2008, 03:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pshrynk

Wow. Those are real thigh slappers.

Hey, they weren't that bad. I rather liked this one:

Someone needled a well-known wit: "I had your wife, without paying a penny". He replied: "It's my duty as a husband to couple with such a monstrosity. What made you do it?"

Anyway, it's comforting to note that 1600 years ago, there was room for a bit of humor.

Jim Lester · 11-13-2008, 03:35 PM

I hope for Monty Pythons sake, the Philogelos is out of copyright. Hmmm what is that Life plus 1600 years: It'll be close after the latest Disney-Bono Copyright extension act takes hold.

Patricia · 11-13-2008, 03:41 PM

Here's some more extracts from this Greek collection:

http://www9.georgetown.edu/faculty/j...HILOGELOS.HTML
http://www.seniornet.org/php/default.php?PageID=8272

Alas, Jim, the translations are almost certainly in copyright

RickyMaveety · 11-13-2008, 03:44 PM

I never would have thought that the Norwegian Blue Parrot (beautiful plumage) would have been familiar to the Ancient Greeks.

OK .... now I can't get the image out of my head of the Spartans meeting Xerxes and the Persians at Thermopylae and instead of arrows and swords, the Greeks just stand there doing shtick and actually kill the Persians with laughter.

Xerxes: Look, I came here for an argument!!

Leonidas: Oh, I'm sorry, this is abuse, you want Hypatia, down the coast about a mile.

mjh215 · 11-13-2008, 03:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RickyMaveety

OK .... now I can't get the image out of my head of the Spartans meeting Xerxes and the Persians at Thermopylae and instead of arrows and swords, the Greeks just stand there doing shtick and actually kill the Persians with laughter.

So Monty Python stole that from the Greeks too! ("The Funniest Joke in the World") Which is something completely different then what I was going to post. I was going in the direction of the Spartan's nipples exploding with delite.

Anyone read thru and see if there was any reference to lumberjacks?

-MJ

zelda_pinwheel · 11-13-2008, 06:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RickyMaveety

Xerxes: Look, I came here for an argument!!

Leonidas: Oh, I'm sorry, this is abuse, you want Hypatia, down the coast about a mile.

RWood · 11-13-2008, 08:08 PM

You mean the Greeks were expecting the Spanish Inquisition?

zelda_pinwheel · 11-13-2008, 08:09 PM

NOBODY expects the spanish inquisition !!!!

ficbot · 11-13-2008, 08:13 PM

I wrote a modified translation (into French) of the dead parrot sketch to teach with (I am a K-6 French teacher). The whole part about how he has died and ceased to be is great for teaching past tenses

And the rousing conclusion: "It est...un ex-perroquet!" Snerk. I had to simplify parts of it a little, but it's still quite fun. Shall I post it somewhere?

zelda_pinwheel · 11-13-2008, 08:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ficbot

I wrote a modified translation (into French) of the dead parrot sketch to teach with (I am a K-6 French teacher). The whole part about how he has died and ceased to be is great for teaching past tenses

And the rousing conclusion: "It est...un ex-perroquet!" Snerk. I had to simplify parts of it a little, but it's still quite fun. Shall I post it somewhere?

yes please !!!

ficbot · 11-13-2008, 11:29 PM

http://www.mediafire.com/?zaqaajzykaa

I *think* this is an earlier draft---I have been making some small revisions as I have been teaching it, but those are saved at school (for now) and I am home. But this is the gist of it

Comments are welcome if you read it

So far, my only beta-readers were another teacher, and the four 10-12 year olds I have been using it with for enrichment French

11-13-2008, 06:25 AM	#1
Patricia Reader Posts: 11,504 Karma: 8720163 Join Date: May 2007 Location: South Wales, UK Device: Sony PRS-500, PRS-505, Asus EEEpc 4G	Dead (or pining?) Parrot sketch originated in Ancient Greece It seems that there is nothing new under the sun, and that Monty Python derives from classical Greek sources; or so it is claimed here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7725079.stm

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11-13-2008, 07:16 AM	#2
Gaurnim Final Five n°42 Posts: 789 Karma: 3599 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Lyon, France Device: Cybook Gen3	Thanks for the info, and the reminder about this sketch. It's a personal favourite, and it was a pleasure seeing it mentioned in one of the books of the Thursday Next series.

11-13-2008, 08:43 AM	#3
vivaldirules When's Doughnut Day? Posts: 10,059 Karma: 13675475 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Houston, TX, US Device: Sony PRS-505, iPad	Excellent, Patricia. I found a few more: http://www.stoa.org/diotima/anthology/quinn_jokes.shtml A misogynist stood in the marketplace and announced: "I'm putting my wife up for sale, tax-free!" When people asked him why, he said: "So the authorities will impound her."

11-13-2008, 03:35 PM	#6
Jim Lester Evangelist Posts: 416 Karma: 14682 Join Date: May 2008 Location: SF Bay Area Device: Nook HD, Nook for Windows 8	I hope for Monty Pythons sake, the Philogelos is out of copyright. Hmmm what is that Life plus 1600 years: It'll be close after the latest Disney-Bono Copyright extension act takes hold.

11-13-2008, 03:41 PM	#7
Patricia Reader Posts: 11,504 Karma: 8720163 Join Date: May 2007 Location: South Wales, UK Device: Sony PRS-500, PRS-505, Asus EEEpc 4G	Here's some more extracts from this Greek collection: http://www9.georgetown.edu/faculty/j...HILOGELOS.HTML http://www.seniornet.org/php/default.php?PageID=8272 Alas, Jim, the translations are almost certainly in copyright

11-13-2008, 03:44 PM	#8
RickyMaveety Holy S**T!!! Posts: 5,213 Karma: 108401 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: San Diego, California!! Device: Kindle and iPad	I never would have thought that the Norwegian Blue Parrot (beautiful plumage) would have been familiar to the Ancient Greeks. OK .... now I can't get the image out of my head of the Spartans meeting Xerxes and the Persians at Thermopylae and instead of arrows and swords, the Greeks just stand there doing shtick and actually kill the Persians with laughter. Xerxes: Look, I came here for an argument!! Leonidas: Oh, I'm sorry, this is abuse, you want Hypatia, down the coast about a mile.

11-13-2008, 08:08 PM	#11
RWood Technogeezer Posts: 7,233 Karma: 1601464 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Virginia, USA Device: Sony PRS-500	You mean the Greeks were expecting the Spanish Inquisition?

11-13-2008, 08:09 PM	#12
zelda_pinwheel zeldinha zippy zeldissima Posts: 27,827 Karma: 921169 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Paris, France Device: eb1150 & is that a nook in her pocket, or she just happy to see you?	NOBODY expects the spanish inquisition !!!!

11-13-2008, 08:13 PM	#13
ficbot Wizard Posts: 2,409 Karma: 4132096 Join Date: Sep 2008 Device: Kindle Paperwhite/iOS Kindle App	I wrote a modified translation (into French) of the dead parrot sketch to teach with (I am a K-6 French teacher). The whole part about how he has died and ceased to be is great for teaching past tenses And the rousing conclusion: "It est...un ex-perroquet!" Snerk. I had to simplify parts of it a little, but it's still quite fun. Shall I post it somewhere?

11-13-2008, 11:29 PM	#15
ficbot Wizard Posts: 2,409 Karma: 4132096 Join Date: Sep 2008 Device: Kindle Paperwhite/iOS Kindle App	http://www.mediafire.com/?zaqaajzykaa I think this is an earlier draft---I have been making some small revisions as I have been teaching it, but those are saved at school (for now) and I am home. But this is the gist of it Comments are welcome if you read it So far, my only beta-readers were another teacher, and the four 10-12 year olds I have been using it with for enrichment French