Humor

Crabs in a Bucket

“I was seated on the ground, taking in those delicious draughts, my face turned up to heaven, my eyes half closed the better to enjoy the toothsome liquor, when the wicked blind man took his revenge. He raised the jug with both hands, and, with all his might, sent it crashing down on my mouth.” […]

Britons and Celts

The Hairy Men of Ireland

“It had the human shape, however, in every detail, both as to hands and face and feet; but the entire body was covered with hair as the beasts are, and down the back it had a long coarse mane like that of a horse.” […]

Greek and Roman

The World Doesn’t Revolve Around Us

“The universal nature has no external space; but the wondrous part of her art is that though she has circumscribed herself, everything within her which appears to decay and to grow old and to be useless she changes into herself, and again makes other new things from these very same, so that she requires neither substance from without nor wants a place into which she may cast that which decays.” […]

Supernatural

Competing Prayers to Capricious Gods

“Frea gave counsel that the women of the Winnili should take down their hair and arrange it upon the face like a beard, and that in the early morning they should be present with their husbands and in like manner station themselves to be seen by Godan.” […]

Human Affairs

Men as Women

“He picked out two young men of his acquaintance who had fresh and girlish faces, but eager and manly spirits, and changed their outward appearance almost entirely by giving them warm baths and keeping them out of the sun, by arranging their hair, and by smoothing their skin and beautifying their complexions with unguents.” […]

Britons and Celts

Killing on the Battlements

“The Chancellor was in his gown, and besides ancient, and not able to struggle with such a strong fellow. My lord had a little dog with him; said he, “Let us first throw the dog down, and see what sport that will be.” […]

Britons and Celts

The World’s Gone Upside Down

“The site, too, was overturned, so that those parts of the earth which had formerly pointed downwards were now turned upward; and all the houses and halls were turned town into the earth and thus it has been ever since.” […]