Farting Skunks

The first semester ends on Friday, which translated from teacherese means high volumes of work resulting in high volumes of stress. In spite of that fact, I am sincere in saying that it is well worth it!

Today, I was marking worksheets from Chapter 6 of Owls in the Family. The chapter not only describes Billy and his friends entering the owls and their other various and assorted pets into the T. Eaton parade in Saskatoon, but also describes Wol's interactions with a skunk.

Owls are, apparently, the only raptors (only predators?) who will eat skunk. Billy and his parents are enjoying a meal, when Wol kindly brings them a dead, pungent skunk as some sort of owl offering. They, naturally, are not pleased, and Wol needed to take a tomato juice bath.

On the worksheet, the students had to comment on what certain quotes meant. The quote in question stated, "...he did what skunks always do when they get scared" (p. 62). One student suggested that this meant "He farted when he got scared."

Although I found this to be extremely funny, I have to be fair. If you are not educated in the ways of wildlife, and do not know (in any language) that skunks spray their odour, and do not in fact fart it, then it is an innocent and logical assumption. However, it would have been more delicate to suggest that the skunk "passed wind" when he got scared, or some other polite euphemism.

As an aside, the Frontier on the Fireplace is growing. It now includes Johnny West, Chief Cherokee, Geronimo, a palamino horse, a pinto horse, Johnny's dog Flick and all the accessories. Johnny West is sitting beside Chief Cherokee and both have their feet dangling over the mantel. Flick the dog is faithfully carrying Johnny's cowboy hat. Johnny is drinking a cup of coffee, and his coffee pot rests beside him. Chief Cherokee is puffing on a peace pipe. Home on the Range....