Posted on 12/04/2005 9:06:06 AM PST by minus_273
A giant straw goat erected every year in a Swedish town to mark the festive season has been burned down - again. Police in the town of Gavle said the 13-metre (43 ft) high billy goat has been set on fire so often it has almost become a Christmas ritual.
It was the 22nd time it has gone up in smoke since the town, north of Stockholm, began the tradition in 1966.
Two men were seen running from the blaze, one of whom was disguised as Father Christmas, said police.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.bbc.co.uk ...
It's the SCLU (Sweden's ACLU), I tell you.
Sven Clintoon was quoted as saying.."Ah remember as a child all the Goat burnings..."
Reminds me of the Burning Man ritual at the Left Coast.
the goats have just not been accepted nor tolerated by Swedish society. It's not racial, it's not religious, it's non-acceptance and for that, all goats must burn.
Perhaps if they built a large wooden badger . . .
"Look at the easter bunny and easter eggs for one example."
You're not going to tell me the Easter Bunny doesn't lay those eggs, are you?
I refuse to listen.
The Easter Bunny did lay those eggs;he took them from the chickens,put them in a basket ,and then lay the eggs under bushes.Guess he doesn't know about refrigerators.
That wasn't Father Christmas, it was Thor, and he was blind drunk and hungry and thought the goat was one of his, either Tanngniost (Tooth Gnasher) or Tanngrisnir (Tooth Grinder). He just wanted a goat bbq. 8^)
"Perhaps if they built a large wooden badger . . ."
they don't need no stinking badgers!!
/apologies
Ever hear of a scape goat? The town passes all its evil demons and sins to the goat then kills it. In Iceland, (if I recall correctly,) they put cats in a sack and beat them.
Nah! The Easter Bunny, and in fact all bunnies, do not lay eggs, they lay smart pills that you feed to your younger siblings.
The movie "The Wicker Man" comes to mind...
One thing you have to say about the British, even sometimes the one's who all too often have a nasty left disposition to them, is that they have a very subtle and slow-boiling but wicked sense of humor:
1966: The first goat is burned down - beginning the tradition
1970: It is set on fire six hours after being erected
1971: Tired of arson, the project is abandoned. Schoolchildren build a miniature. It is smashed to pieces.
1976: A car crashes into the goat
1979: The goat is burned down before it is finished
1987: The goat is treated with fire-proofing - but still goes up in smoke.
All laughing aside, I do feel a bit sorry for those affected. I think I'd rather like a giant goat in my town for Christmas. Or some sort of whimsical tradition like that.
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