You know what mythical creatures seems like they would be awesome if they actually existed, but would actually be terrible? Pegasi*. I mean, think how terrible it is when a bird shits on you or right on the windshield of your car. Think of what a terrible mess geese make when they come through shitting on everything. Now extrapolate that to a bunch of fucking horses flying overhead. We wouldn’t be like “Oh, look at what soaring majestic beauty.” We’d be like “Oh fuck nooooooooo” and running for shelter.
That is all.
*Yes, the plural of Pegasus is Pegasi because “Pegasus” is Latin. The Greek version is “Pegasos.” I learned this solely because I wanted my discussion of Pegasus crap attacks to be grammatically correct. Even poop jokes can accidentally teach you something.
It’s a very old joke, usually flying elephants, à la Dumbo, are used instead of pegasi.
This so reminded me of an old limerick I read somewhere or other.
Birdy, birdy in the sky
Why you poo-poo in my eye?
I didn’t sigh
I didn’t cry
Thank god, cows don’t fly!!
Since “Pegasi” is plural, the first sentence should really be:
Now, I believe it’s grammatically correct! :)
Drat, you are correct. I originally wrote it to be “Pegasus” but then changed it to add the quip about the plural form…and then didn’t change the rest.
The version we recited as kids was
Little birdy flying high
Dropped a message from the sky.
Upset parson wiped his eye,
Thanking God that cows can’t fly.
If the Greek is pegasos, it’s plural would be ‘oi pegasoi?
Greek word is Πήγασος with plural Πήγασοι. Which is pronounced ‘Pigasos’ and ‘Pigasi’ respectively. Ironically this is closer to JREF’s mascot than anything else!
I grew up in Greece and was actually discussing this with my wife the other day.
PS Plural flying pigs would generate a hell of a lot of poop as well :-)
‘oi pegasoi’ puts me in mind of closely-shorn flying horses, possibly shod in Doc Marten horseshoes. Would some brony-type make this reality?
My favorite merging of mythical animal and poop joke: the bonnacon.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonnacon
Would a group of pegasi be considered a herd or a flock?
Anyont who is an astronomy buff would know that “Pegasi” is not only the nominative plural but the genitive singular and that the star Markab is also known as α Pegasi, and, along with β Pegasi (Scheat), γ Pegasi (Algenib) and α Andromedae (Alpheratz) form the asterism known as the Great Square of Pegasus.
In the past, I’ve often said “Don’t leave a brilliant mind to its own devices for too long, or positively mad shit will start coming out of it.”
This is the first time I’ve seen that happen literally.
Typo alert: “Anyont” = “Anyone”.
They’d be a herd on the ground and a flock in the air.
I am a latin nerd, and I really appreciated the Pegasi. Well done.
Dungeons & Dragons Monster Manuals in their Ecology sections never mention that particular attack ability of the Pegasus.
AJ
Am I the only one wondering if such a creature is even biologically feasible? What kind of wingspan would you need, keeping in mind the ratio of weight to lifting power…and all that sort of thing.
Now I agree with you 100% on that, but this seems like a slightly more random observation than usual. Is there a particular reason why you happened to be pondering the implications of pegasi?
Last verse of Tom Lehrer’s A Christmas Carol: “Let the raucous sleigh bells jingle // Hail our dear old friend Kris Kringle // Driving his reindeer across the sky // Don’t stand underneath when they fly by!”
What are you talking about, Jen? Poop is hardly the worst thing about pegasi!
In the bible it clearly states that Pegasi were only known to shat when all four legs were touching the ground, and would NEVER relieve themselves while flying. Unless, of course they were flying over infidel territory……hence the bur-qua….
Don’t make me release the flying monkeys.
Pointy birds
All pointy-pointy
Anoint my head
Anointy-nointy
(Steve Martin, I think)
Only on a planet with denser air and/or lower gravity.
This guy has done some science fictional world building that include a few such worlds. No flying horse poop jokes though.
Thanks Jen. That made me laugh.
This is why flying cars would be stupid.
I think an airdropped poop attack could fall under the 9th Amendment of the Dungeon Master Constitution; but what would you roll to save against it? Reflex to dodge, Fortitude against the poop germs, maybe Will against the psychological damage from being bombarded with shit from above? Having been pooped on by birds, I think I’d go with Will.
Here’s a 14-minute classical movie educational movie fly-over (De düva – the Dove). Don’t expect a language lesson, though.
My mother taught me
Spring is sprung
The grass is riz
I wonder where
The birdies is?
Here comes one
A-flying by
He dropped some whitewash
In my eye
But I’m a big girl
I won’t cry!
I’m just so glad
That cows don’t fly!
Ecktually, “Pegasus” is a proper name for a specific winged horse, the son of Medusa and Poseidon, who was born out of a drop of her blood along with his brother, Chrysaor the giant, when Perseus decapitated her, because she couldn’t give birth due to her curse, dont’cha know.
Actually, the official plural of ‘pegasus’ is ‘pegasususususeseseses’.
At least Pegasus has a plural form. Pity the mongoose, a singular animal, because no one can say two of them.
A “flocking herd”?
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ALERT!! Clean up on spammer shit in comment #27!