Tag Archives: horse

What to do With a Runaway Horse

Nationality: Irish

Occupation: Horse Race Track Manager

Residence: Waterford, Ireland

Language: English

Text:

“O’Flangagan had a racehorse, the fastest racehorse in Ireland. Every race, the horse won by at least ten lengths, it was never close. But everytime the horse came to the end of the race, instead of crossing the finishing post, it would veer off the side and run off into a field. O’Flanagan was going mental with this horse, so he went to see Seamus, the town vet, he said “I’ve got the fastest horse in Ireland, but every time he gets near the winning post he runs off to the side into a field and the next horse wins. What am I ever going to do?” Seamus said “I am familiar with that problem and I have the solution for you, you must get a small lump of lead and put it in the horse’s left ear, that will solve the problem, guaranteed.” O’Flanagan asked “How will I get the lump of lead in the horse’s ear?” to which the vet replied, “With a gun.”

Context: Before my aunt told me this story/joke, she spent a while nervously laughing and going on about how dark it is. She owns two horses and leases two more, and her job is entirely built around horse races. Her reluctance to share this story shows her admiration for horses, as well as their admiration across rural Ireland. She, along with many of her friends, have had to put down sick horses, and from our conversation it seemed like telling this story reminded her of those experiences and helped her laugh about such a difficult experience.

Analysis:

This joke reveals a lot about the way in which horses are viewed; they are both loved and thought of as precious, but also can be incredibly frustrating and uncooperative, and are still seen as animals below humans. The idea of killing a horse because it ran a race wrong is ridiculous, but the idea of needing to shoot a horse to put it down is not. Combining a ridiculous reason for putting a horse down with the somber act of actually putting it down brings a sense of humor into a difficult situation, similar to other dark humor. The fact that putting a horse down requires this type of humor to cope shows how horses are treasured and loved in this rural area in the South of Ireland.

You wouldn’t punch a gift horse in the mouth.

Nationality: American
Age: 18
Occupation: Student
Residence: Poughkeepsie, NY
Language: English

Text: “You wouldn’t punch a gift horse in the mouth.”

Informant: “The first time I heard ‘You wouldn’t punch a gift horse in the mouth,’ I remember being told that wasn’t the saying, and I got confused because, well you wouldn’t punch a gift horse in the mouth. The people I was with agreed with that logic and ever since then it’s been my go-to proverb. I believe it represents a proverb’s ability to evolve into the modern age; for a meaning to stay timeless even as the context changes. It is this mentality that I try and take with me. No matter what I do, it’s important to stay timeless but real to myself. Even if my context changes, my meaning stays the same.” 

Interpretation: The informant’s misinterpretation of “Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth” into “You wouldn’t punch a gift horse in the mouth” highlights the nature of language and the way proverbs can evolve while maintaining their core meaning. Traditionally, the original saying advises against inspecting or questioning a gift, but the informant’s version changes the focus to a funnier, simpler truth—appreciation and respect for what is given. By applying this perspective to their own life, they express a desire to remain both timeless and authentic, suggesting that personal identity should be flexible in context but unwavering in essence. Their reflection on the proverb’s adaptability speaks to the nature of wisdom, emphasizing that while language and circumstances may change, fundamental values remain relevant. The reinterpretation of the proverb, rather than diminishing its meaning, reinforces the idea that wisdom is not just about rigid tradition but about finding truth in every era.

Greek Legend about Alexander the Great’s Horse


Text: The informant recalls being told the story of bucephalus, a great stallion that no one could tame or ride that belonged to the king of Macedonia, Phillip. Alexander the great, his son,  made a bet with his father that if he could ride the animal it would be his. The King agreed. Alexander approached Bucephalus differently from the great generals who had tried to tame him with force. Instead of beating, yelling, or chasing, he spoke softly to the horse, praising its beauty. Realizing the horse was afraid of its own shadow, he cleverly redirected Bucephalus’s head towards the sun. This removed the shadow from view, calming the horse. Alexander was able to mount and ride Bucephalus successfully. 

Context: The informant explains he was told two things about the story. First, when someone is acting ferociously, it may not have anything to do with you, it is often because they are afraid of something. Second, that by being patient and observing you can figure out what is wrong, and by being nice you can diffuse the situation. He was told this story when he was a young boy growing up in the 70’s in New york in a Greek immigrant family. 

Analysis: I think this story serves two purposes. Firstly, it is meant to instill good values and socialize a young boy about how to handle heated situations. The second reason is to retain cultural identity. The informant is from a family of immigrants, very proud of their culture. By telling stories of Greeces most influential figures they retain their identity while instilling important values.

Family Pre-Rodeo Tradition

Nationality: American
Primary language: English
Age: 58
Occupation: Insurance salesman
Residence: Mercer Island, WA

Text

MD’s father was a team roper (a rodeo rider on a horse who works in a team to rope a bull). Every year, in order to prep for the Clovis Rodeo, MD and his brothers helped their dad to practice roping by building a fake bull. They attached a bull’s skull to a sawhorse so that their dad could practice roping it. They also tried to rope, but weren’t as successful. MD’s dad’s quarter horse was named Shorty. MD and his brothers helped to get him ready by walking him and taking him into town. In town, Shorty always needed to stop for a drink. MD’s dad always went into Monty’s Liquor Store and got Dr. Pepper. He would drink half of it and give the other half to Shorty.

Context

MD participated in these pre-rodeo traditions with his family every year from when he was 4 to when he was 8 years old. Participating in these traditions was super fun because it made MD feel like a cowboy. They also made him proud of his dad, who really was a cowboy.

Analysis

These annual traditions are telling of MD’s family background and the environment that he grew up in. MD’s father probably asked his sons for help prepping Shorty, building the practice bull, etc. because he didn’t have the funds for ranch hands to do the same things. Farm work is not often an occupation for the wealthy, but rodeos rely on knowledge and skills that only farmers have, such as animal-handling, horseback riding, specific strength exercises, etc. The rodeo as a whole can be interpreted as a celebration of a farming community and their unique skills, similar to the firefighting celebrations discussed in Chapter 4 of Folk Groups and Folklore Genres: An Introduction. I’m also interested in the fact that MD’s father turned this work into games for his kids. They weren’t just helping him prep for the rodeo; they got to practice roping. They weren’t just walking Shorty into town; they were looking forward to a fun show of the horse drinking Dr. Pepper. The inclusion of children in MD’s father’s traditions, especially the catering of these traditions to the play space, demonstrates a value of respect, understanding, and community. MD’s father wanted his children to enjoy rodeoing and the culture surrounding it, perhaps so that they might partake in it in the future. This family pre-rodeo tradition highlights an interesting intersection between a community tradition (the rodeo) and intimate family traditions surrounding it. Larger area traditions and values often affect individual families in this way, such as in Cashman’s exploration of nationalism in rural Ireland. All of Ireland celebrates nationalism, but families in rural Ireland each celebrate in different smaller ways (statues, certain routes home, etc.).

La Yegua de Moca

Nationality: Puerto Rican

Context
LV is my grandmother, who was born in Moca, Puerto Rico. Her father was from Aguadila, Puerto Rico. Her mother was from Moca, Puerto Rico. Moca is a small town that’s 50 miles away from the major cities. It’s known for its landscapes and agriculture. LV lived there until she was 17 years old and now resides in Chicago, Illinois. She only speaks Spanish, but the following is translated into English in literal form.

Text

DO: When you were a little girl, do you remember any stories specific to your town that you loved.

LV: Yes. La Yegua de Moca (The Mare of Moca). It was my favorite. Mother told me it when I was a small girl. 

DO: What do you remember about it?

LV: It was about a girl. The girl was named Ramona and she was in love with a man who worked a finca (slang that translates into property or farm). She was rich and had beautiful things but he was poor. You know how these things go. She wanted to run away, and far. But her dad caught her and she was locked away. To escape and be with her love, to the devil she sold her soul. He turned her into the most beautiful white horse, but of course the devil is a trickster. She had to live forever like that. A white horse. You know how my town is all mountains and green, she had to wander as a horse in those mountains forever. 

DO: Wow. It’s a sad story, why do you like it so much?

LV: I don’t know, to tell you the truth. I like the idea of her being free at least in the way that she was free from her father. 

Analysis

This is a famous myth in Moca sometimes literally just being called “La Moca.” It’s part of the town’s cultural identity and connects with something important to them: agriculture and land. Both characters were tied to a farm in some way, Ramona was the daughter of a wealthy farm owner and her lover was a farm worker. This story shows the cultural beliefs about wealth and social status. Ramona’s father would rather have her locked away than be with someone in a lower class, showing how important status can be to this town. It also demonstrates how important religion is to Puerto Rico’s culture. Ramona sells her soul to the devil and thus is punished for the rest of her life. In Puerto Rican culture, God is everything. Having the character speak to the devil and then be punished for all eternity illustrates what they believe happens when you stray from God.