TIDBITS 01/17/10
Benjamin Mark
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Stork
Rhinestones ... strass ... diamante ... who founded the eponymous
paradigm for all these stones. What? Did I hear anyone say Daniel
Swarovski? The man was a genius from the Austrian Tyrol. But this
is not about him.
Rather it's about a stork.
I digress as I am often wont to do.
Did you know that Aristotle made killing storks a crime?
Did you know that the stork was sacred to Venus and if one built its
nest on the roof of your house it was considered a promise of love?
Also ... did you know that in addition to bringing a promise of love
if it built its nest on your rooftop ... it was also a guarantee that
your house would not catch fire.
Did you know that storks are supposedly very much like us and when
it reaches old age its young look after it and care for it till it
dies? Well ... perhaps very much like only some of us. Ya think they
have old age stork nursing homes? Only if the stork is covered by
Medicaid or Madicare I would presume.
As an aside ... ancient Roman law dictated that children should care
for their aging parents. This was called the "Stork's Law".
Arab legend has it that when storks disappear in the fall they live on
as men. This is surely true ... for haven't we all at some time or
another looked at our fellow man and said to ourselves durned if he
don't look like a stork.
Not only was it believed that the male stork would kill his mate if he
caught her being unfaithful and "shtupping" another stork ... but he
was also believed to be the Avenger of Adultery. So here's how this
last one works. Out of the kindness of your heart ... you decide to
allow Mr. Stork to make his nest on your roof. While you're out
working and toiling to make a living in order to give the missus all
the things she needs ... she has opened hearth and home to the local
lothario who has his way with her all day quelling the intense
passions that have been burning in her breast. Our stork from
up above ... overtaken with intense feelings of loyalty to you for
having given him a place to rest ... promptly approaches the wife and
pokes her eyes
out.
Ever notice how most babies are delivered by Mr. Stork carrying such
baby in his bill. Well ... this is quite true ... if its a naughty
baby boy. Good baby boys ride on the stork's back. Methinks there
ain't many good baby boys around.
So how does this all connect to Swarovski and crystals and jewelry you
may well ask? Well ... here's what it is. I have a stork pin with two
huge emerald cut blue crystals, made with gold-plated base metal and
accented with rhinestones. (Swarovski crystals?) It is three inches
high. It dates back to the 1940's. And--I believe--is now worth around
$100.00. Wanna see?
For those of you who are new to this thing called Tidbits...may I
direct you to my home page at http://www.tyler-adam.com where you will
scroll down the left side menu till you get to the area that says
Current Tidbits ... and you will see represented on our pages a jaunty
looking stork pin.
And there ya have it.
That's it for this week folks.
Catch you all next week.
Benjamin Mark
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