tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4316886317870996102.post1991491644761583443..comments2023-04-06T11:51:16.564-04:00Comments on Dr. Syntax: A Christmas Poem: Thomas Hardy's "The Oxen"Peter Ginnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00678504299313188170noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4316886317870996102.post-59980530821083986122010-12-24T23:21:11.496-05:002010-12-24T23:21:11.496-05:00Thanks for a graceful way to share a beautiful, sa...Thanks for a graceful way to share a beautiful, sadly ever-timely, Christmas poem by one of my favorites. Peace to you this season.Old Crowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04822315164722531947noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4316886317870996102.post-81839302617819195272009-12-29T13:43:44.263-05:002009-12-29T13:43:44.263-05:00Anita, thanks for your comment. Glad you enjoyed t...Anita, thanks for your comment. Glad you enjoyed the article. <br /><br />GhostFolk, you're right about why the farm animals are believed to kneel. I didn't know that there was a tradition saying they knelt on January 6th, though! They must be meticulous record keepers to distinguish Old from New Christmas.Peter Ginnahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00678504299313188170noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4316886317870996102.post-55234405280624209122009-12-27T04:48:29.799-05:002009-12-27T04:48:29.799-05:00Oh shoot. I thought I might add that the "fa...Oh shoot. I thought I might add that the "farm animals" (or meek creatures) that kneal do so because these were the same animals in the manger who witnessed the original birth.GhostFolk.comhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10942600698461250382noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4316886317870996102.post-45564752136215962052009-12-27T04:45:42.548-05:002009-12-27T04:45:42.548-05:00As the tradition holds on this side of the ocean, ...As the tradition holds on this side of the ocean, cattle kneal on the eve of Old Christmas (January 6), btw. One variation of the belief includes the brief (at midnight, if I recall) ability of animals to talk.<br /><br />P.S. A nice documentation of an early use of "funk" (in the add). Thanks!GhostFolk.comhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10942600698461250382noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4316886317870996102.post-6792001470318903192009-12-26T18:44:47.339-05:002009-12-26T18:44:47.339-05:00When I first saw the article, I thought I didn'...When I first saw the article, I thought I didn't have to read it. But I'm so glad I did. Very interesting stuff.Anitahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06333494452915600562noreply@blogger.com