Friday 10 July 2009

Whistler's (Grand)Mother


I'm a darn good whistler. My brother taught me how when I was five. Having some natural talent for whistling, I practised incessantly and improved my technique with a nice vibrato effect learned from an uncle. But my whistling upset my Grandma, who was very much a product of the Victorian age in which she had been raised. According to her world view, whistling was simply not ladylike. Only boys should whistle. Girls should be quiet and decorous. Every time she heard me whistling, she would recite the following dire little ditty --

Whistling girls and crowing hens:
Both shall come to no good ends!

I heard that poem a lot when I was growing up. A LOT.

My Grandma was born on July 13, 1888. This year would be her 121st birthday, if she were still around. So on Monday, I'll whistle "Happy Birthday" in her honour. And I know what her response will be, wherever she is.

3 comments:

Caroline said...

LOL...

So funny the things people think and say. My daughter does this crazy crossed thing that drives my Mother In Law nuts!!! My MIL tells her that her eyes will stay that way forever. It just cracks me up...and then my daughter does it again just to taunt her which cracks me up even more!!!

Hibiscus Moon said...

Tha's so cute. I can hardly whistle to save my life. Good for you!

yellowdoggranny said...

i could never whistle as good as i wanted..but i could spit farther than all of my boy cousins..