Happy Saint Patrick's Day everybody!
I've tried in fits and starts to have a tradition of writing and posting a St. Patrick's Day joke each year.
This is my record so far:
2010 (actually in 2011)
2011
2012: missed
2013
This is my attempt for 2014:
We've all heard that St. Patrick drove all the snakes out of Ireland, but did you know that the snakes themselves have always wanted to go back.
The snakes felt they got a raw deal and were unfairly discriminated against, victims of species profiling. After several years of exile they decided to get together and figure out how to return to their beloved homeland.
They rented a conference room at a Ramada in Chicago and held a huge convention. All day long the met and discussed. Imagine if you will a huge conference room filled with snakes, green as the emerald isle itself, all hissing in a thick Irish brogue.
By the end of the conference they had worked themselves into quite a lather, every one of them spitting mad at the one man who had done them all wrong. Every one of those snakes was ready to strike, all except one, Sean O'Shea.
Sean sat quietly curled up on a beautiful box he had brought with him. Eventually all the other snakes turned to look at him in confusion.
"Why is it, Sean O'Shea that yer not angry at Patrick, the man who drove us out? Don't you love Ireland?"
"Aye, I love Ireland same as you all. I love the land, the green, the people, but most of all I love the music. I've always loved the music, the jigs, the reels, the hornpipes, the ballads, and the laments.
"I've always loved the fiddle, the uileann pipes, the flute, the concertina and the badhrans. All me life I've wanted to play in an Irish band.
"One fine spring day I was making me way through the glen when I spied a wee little man. Quick as a wink I coiled round him, cuz I knew right then, he was a leprechaun.
"I got yeh, leprechaun, sez I. Now yeh got to give me yer crock o' gold.
"'Oh, ya got me sure and fast.' Sez he. 'You must be the quickest and smartest snake in all of Ireland.'
"'I am.' Sez I, 'I'm Sean O'Shea.'
"'Ah, Sean O'Shea, you say?' sez he, 'Not THE Sean O'Shea, the snake who wants to play in an Irish band?'
"'The same,' sez I.
"'Well,' sez he, 'I think I might have somethin' even more to yer likin' than me wee crock o' gold. How would you like a magic concertina?'
"What use have such as I with no hands, for any concertina?' sez I.
"'Ah, this is a magical concertina. This concertina plays all by itself. It needs no hands, just a guiding soul to give it the tune. If you release me I'll tell you where it is.'
"Now, I'm no fool. I made that leprechaun tell me where to find this magical instrument before I released me coils. As soon as I did he disappeared.
"I followed his instructions and true enough there in the valley I found just what he had sent me after. The case itself was amazing, airtight, water tight, indestructible, with brass hinges and clasps. The interior was lined with the finest velvet and silks.
"Nestled in that case me befell on the most beautiful sight I could ever imagine. The magical concertina was inlaid with gold and silver. The buttons were gem stones and pearls.
"As beautiful as it was, and try as I might I could not get that instrument to play one single note, not a single chord. After trying everything I could think of, in frustration I sought out that leprechaun.
"I found him, back in that glen I had caught him before. None the wiser, I caught him again, wrapped me coils round him and squeezed.
"'Ah Sean, how are you enjoying yer concertina?' sez he.
"'I'm not. It won't play.'
"'Won't play? Ach, where's me head? If it weren't attached I'd lose it sure. Of course it won't play. You need to know the magic word.'
"'Magic word? What is the magic word? Tell me quick.'
"Now, I suspected that leprechaun meant to cheat me. I taut he had kept that bit about the magic word from me on purpose all along, but I taut I was smarter and with me coils wrapped round his wee body I threatened to squeeze out the breath of life if he didn't tell me.
"He told me that there was only one man in the whole of the world who knew the magic word to make the concertina play, but he alas was no longer in Ireland. The man with the magic word had immigrated to America, and if I wanted the magic word I would have to follow him there.
"Well, me friends I packed up all me belongin's and set off to find him. I floated across the wide Atlantic Ocean on the watertight case. I've been looking fer the man with the magic word ever since. So, my friends you ask me why I'm not angry at Saint Patrick, the answer is simple. St. Patrick didn't drive me out of Ireland. I left on me own accordion."
I've tried in fits and starts to have a tradition of writing and posting a St. Patrick's Day joke each year.
This is my record so far:
2010 (actually in 2011)
2011
2012: missed
2013
This is my attempt for 2014:
We've all heard that St. Patrick drove all the snakes out of Ireland, but did you know that the snakes themselves have always wanted to go back.
The snakes felt they got a raw deal and were unfairly discriminated against, victims of species profiling. After several years of exile they decided to get together and figure out how to return to their beloved homeland.
They rented a conference room at a Ramada in Chicago and held a huge convention. All day long the met and discussed. Imagine if you will a huge conference room filled with snakes, green as the emerald isle itself, all hissing in a thick Irish brogue.
By the end of the conference they had worked themselves into quite a lather, every one of them spitting mad at the one man who had done them all wrong. Every one of those snakes was ready to strike, all except one, Sean O'Shea.
Sean sat quietly curled up on a beautiful box he had brought with him. Eventually all the other snakes turned to look at him in confusion.
"Why is it, Sean O'Shea that yer not angry at Patrick, the man who drove us out? Don't you love Ireland?"
"Aye, I love Ireland same as you all. I love the land, the green, the people, but most of all I love the music. I've always loved the music, the jigs, the reels, the hornpipes, the ballads, and the laments.
"I've always loved the fiddle, the uileann pipes, the flute, the concertina and the badhrans. All me life I've wanted to play in an Irish band.
"One fine spring day I was making me way through the glen when I spied a wee little man. Quick as a wink I coiled round him, cuz I knew right then, he was a leprechaun.
"I got yeh, leprechaun, sez I. Now yeh got to give me yer crock o' gold.
"'Oh, ya got me sure and fast.' Sez he. 'You must be the quickest and smartest snake in all of Ireland.'
"'I am.' Sez I, 'I'm Sean O'Shea.'
"'Ah, Sean O'Shea, you say?' sez he, 'Not THE Sean O'Shea, the snake who wants to play in an Irish band?'
"'The same,' sez I.
"'Well,' sez he, 'I think I might have somethin' even more to yer likin' than me wee crock o' gold. How would you like a magic concertina?'
"What use have such as I with no hands, for any concertina?' sez I.
"'Ah, this is a magical concertina. This concertina plays all by itself. It needs no hands, just a guiding soul to give it the tune. If you release me I'll tell you where it is.'
"Now, I'm no fool. I made that leprechaun tell me where to find this magical instrument before I released me coils. As soon as I did he disappeared.
"I followed his instructions and true enough there in the valley I found just what he had sent me after. The case itself was amazing, airtight, water tight, indestructible, with brass hinges and clasps. The interior was lined with the finest velvet and silks.
"Nestled in that case me befell on the most beautiful sight I could ever imagine. The magical concertina was inlaid with gold and silver. The buttons were gem stones and pearls.
"As beautiful as it was, and try as I might I could not get that instrument to play one single note, not a single chord. After trying everything I could think of, in frustration I sought out that leprechaun.
"I found him, back in that glen I had caught him before. None the wiser, I caught him again, wrapped me coils round him and squeezed.
"'Ah Sean, how are you enjoying yer concertina?' sez he.
"'I'm not. It won't play.'
"'Won't play? Ach, where's me head? If it weren't attached I'd lose it sure. Of course it won't play. You need to know the magic word.'
"'Magic word? What is the magic word? Tell me quick.'
"Now, I suspected that leprechaun meant to cheat me. I taut he had kept that bit about the magic word from me on purpose all along, but I taut I was smarter and with me coils wrapped round his wee body I threatened to squeeze out the breath of life if he didn't tell me.
"He told me that there was only one man in the whole of the world who knew the magic word to make the concertina play, but he alas was no longer in Ireland. The man with the magic word had immigrated to America, and if I wanted the magic word I would have to follow him there.
"Well, me friends I packed up all me belongin's and set off to find him. I floated across the wide Atlantic Ocean on the watertight case. I've been looking fer the man with the magic word ever since. So, my friends you ask me why I'm not angry at Saint Patrick, the answer is simple. St. Patrick didn't drive me out of Ireland. I left on me own accordion."
2 comments:
Ugh
Well, you didn't miss this year, Dear. You know your Uncle Greg would love this note to an accordion. I'm at your Mom's; so, I'll have to send it to him. Love and miss you all, soooo much. You never cease to amaze me. Love, Auntie Char. xoxoxoxoxo
Post a Comment