I suppose it's a bit of a stretch…

A hunter from an animistic society one day went out in search of some deer, knowing that he'd only need to capture one to secure a supply of meat for his family, whose store was running low—even their supply of cured meat saved for emergencies was dwindling.  Before setting out, he made with unusual diligence his prayers to the various spirits that would be involved in the expedition, were it to be successful, taking extra care when addressing the spirit of the deer he'd be hunting, stressing the seriousness of his need and eloquently requesting that one choose to lay down its life for his family's sake.  This done, he shouldered his supplies and trekked woodwards.  Thanks to luck and skill, and why not? perhaps even as a result of his spiritual preparations, he succeeded in killing a young punkbuck and returned with it a few days later.  Before tucking into the first meal prepared with the animal's meat, he and his family of course directed a prayer of gratitude to its spirit in particular, promising to aid the deer that remained and maintain the land they held in common, and thanking the deer for granting them their much-desired venison.

Comments

[rone]

Yer so frickin' handsome.

[ben wolfson]

Man, why the long face?

[Standpipe Bridgeplate]

You omitted to mention that the family's deer saga unfolded even as they were trying—successfully, in the end—to catch one last city in their whirlwind European tour, and get their much-desired Venice on.

[Stephen Philip Quincy Arthur]

There's no doubt about it—tonight, Ben is on.

[Standpipe Bridgeplate]

Now his preferred make of car is Audi, but once it had been Nissan.

[ben wolfson]

I once disinherited a child of mine, with whom I later had a partial reconciliation; now I tell people I have a demi-son.

[Standpipe Bridgeplate]

I hope you made clear that his name would stay struck from your will until he stopped shooting up heroin, or indulging in any other veiny sin.

[ben wolfson]

Oh, he's clean of needle drugs and whatnot. It's true, though, that I'll never fully recognize him (and maybe not even then, too) until he kicks that heinous gin.

[Standpipe Bridgeplate]

You should invite him over for a game of Carcassonne.

[ben wolfson]

No one plays that anymore. These days Mah Jongg's in.

[dave zacuto]

I think your posts may be getting too subtle for me.

[ben wolfson]

I'm working on a new kind of pun: the non–inferably intended pun. (The idea: venison/benison.)

[Standpipe Bridgeplate]

Also known as the plausible deniability pun. This is important work you're doing.

[Standpipe Bridgeplate]

Honi soit qui mal y puns.

[ben wolfson]

A pun is a fish.

[Standpipe Bridgeplate]

Give a man a pun, and he'll hate you for a day. Teach a man to pun, and you'll hate him for the rest of his life.

[dave zacuto]

You've grown into your glasses, Ben.

[ben wolfson]

A pun is a fish.

I can no longer remember what the significance of this comment was supposed to be.

[KM]

Ghoti, perhaps?