Writing is like being able to put life into a snow globe. It takes the things that are too big and scary and reduces them into a form that I can put away when I want and look at from a distance. It also takes all that’s good in life and captures it into something I can take out when I want and look at close up and keep forever. It makes the bad things into something I can hold…and the good things into something I can hold onto. Both help so much that I need that little souvenir of life.

Sunday, August 3, 2014

Succinctly Yours Week 176: Toe Story 10…or The Moral of the Story is Don’t Be a Piggy

Thank you to Grandma’s Goulash for hosting Succinctly Yours! The idea of this meme is to use the picture to polish a story into 140 words or 140 characters or fewer. The bonus word this week was “fable.”

Remember the old fable about the family of toes that went for a walk on the beach? The one with the ring learned she had to watch her step and toe the line with the rest. 135

The children’s fable has been updated to appeal to a culture of narcissism. They go on vacation and not to market, no one stays home, and the last piggy cries, “me me me.” 139



I know, I know—I confused a fable with a nursery rhyme. But I also hear tell they ate sushi and organic quinoa instead of roast beef, and things got a little out of h…foot. Have a great week!



If all God’s children had all the material advantages that the rich could afford, the world would not be a fit place to live in. ~Alexander Lowen, M.D., Narcissism: Denial of the True Self

11 comments:

  1. Hari Om
    Fabulous Tammy.... I kept looking at the ring and thinking there must be something to come out of that.... but it wasn't me to find it!! And whilst the nursery rhyme was borrowed, it told a fable true! YAM xx

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  2. I agree with Yamini. Marvelous stories.

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  3. Glad to hear that little piggy did not stay home, especially after be-jeweling herself.

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    1. Seems wrong to stay home all gussied up like that. Even for a piggy.

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  4. Hey Tammy, love them both, as always! The updating of the fable to appeal to a culture of narcissism is particularly clever, but I say that with a sigh because there's such a nugget of truth in it. And to appeal to a culture of fast-food lovers, my grandbaby and I play the piggy game all the time, only instead of going to market, we go to "'Donald's," and eat Freeeennnnch fries all the way home. (Also said with a sigh because there's a nugget of truth to that one as well). Thanks for the smile this morning :)

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  5. You mean a chicken nugget of truth? (Sorry, couldn't resist!) When I was writing this post, I did get to wondering what the original meant. I think there may have been some unpleasant nuggets there as well. Maybe it's just the nature of fables and nursery rhymes to reflect what's bad about society? Thanks for your thought-provoking-ness, as always!

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  6. :) I'm still smiling, Tammy. You verged on silliness a couple of times.
    Got to be careful or things will get out of h ... foot for you too! :) Clever all the way!
    ..

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  7. Thank you, Jim. I do tend to verge on silliness a lot of times. ;)

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  8. I know you have fun writing these, because they are such fun to read. Great job, as usual!

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  9. The second one made me laugh out loud. Well done!

    Pat
    Critter Alley

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