I recently went to a Scottish festival, which was a lot of fun, and many clans had tents set up where you could go and get info on them and meet fellow clansfolk. They are all listed in the program, along with their mottos. This made for good reading. Typically, they are about being brave, being strong, being steadfast, etc. Clan MacKintosh, however, seems to be a little more special. Their motto is "Touch not the cat without a glove". Hmmm.
Now I wonder, is this a safety thing or a cleanliness thing? Were they germ freaks and could have basically picked anything besides "cat"? "Milk not the cow...", "Shear not the sheep..." etc. Or is it a safety issue, where they know cats scratch so wear a glove when you touch them. OR do they mean the CAT has to wear gloves to cover the claws? Did the MacKintoshes put gloves on their cats? Can you picture how the vermin must have taunted the poor things, not to mention the dogs, though I would assume the dogs had their own similar problems imposed upon them. Probably diapers.
Now our clan motto is "Dread God". (Well, not mine really, my husband's. I'm Puerto Rican and our clan motto is "Ever on guard for falling coconuts") Supposedly, that means to have a healthy fear and respect for God, but I'm married to one and I'm pretty sure that it's because they were naughty lads. I bet there was lots of "Oh please oh please oh please God, if ye let me live, I swear I'll not touch another drap o cratur" ZZZZAP! and " I wasnae kissin' Jenny, I was savin' her from chokin', cross my heart and hope te ACK!"
4 comments:
I remember reading about this motto in some cough*historical fiction*cough book once. The cat refers to a wild cat found in the Highlands, not your average pussy(!)cat. Ya wouldna wanna mess wi''em, lassie, wi'oot a glove.
My spousal unit's clan'c motto is Hold Fast. Something about wrestling a bull. Sure, it is.
Bert
Hmm, I will have to look back in that cough*historical fiction*cough book, because I don't remember the MacKintoshes being mentioned. Or was it a different one? Was it as, um, "historical"?
I saw that motto of your SU. I doubted it too. ;)
Ah it appears that both of you need to be at our fund raiser later this month...a Scotch tasting where the men are "encouraged" to wear kilts and formal jackets. I suggested that they hold it outdoors so we could take advantage of the cool fall breezes but they are holding it in a swank country club instead.
Men in Prince Charlies woozy with usquabe? Tempting,but it would be unfair to let Bert and me loose there. Poor guys at such a disadvantage, and us being so- so- predatory. ;)
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