Never Mock a Mockingbird

Dear and Faithful Readers of this blog (both of you),

I have nothing of earth-shattering importance to offer today – just three snippets from one of my favorite comic strips, 2 Cows and a Chicken by Steve Skelton and a brief detour into the realm of literature to examine the device known as conceit, which provides the gravitas lying beneath the surface of what appears to be nothing more than an inane, children's story. 

The first snippet consists of a bit of plagiaris...um...er...Rand Paul-esque "borrowing" of the strip published on December 11, 2009.

Link to Source

If you don't know why I chose to share this particular strip, scroll up to the top of your browser window and read the title and introduction to this blog. I would also suggest that you have a shaker of salt close by whenever you read what I write here, just in case you feel the need to enhance the flavor of the beef being served or as a preservative, should you wish to consume it at a later date.

The second snippet quotes the brief description which appears on the strip's page at GoComics.com.

About 2 Cows and a Chicken
No one in town -- neither the real estate developer nor the relatives -- was happy when Farmer Ray left everything to his beloved farm animals. So they fled in fear, leaving a spunky young girl named Pearl to battle for their rights. Now the farm is theirs, but neither Pearl, nor the Wise Crow, nor the Weird Rabbits, can find them. Join the intrepid trio as they adventure their way across the land, seeking wide and far for their long lost home sweet home.

In this description are found all the elements needed to construct a conceit commenting on the foibles of life in modern America.

conceit
By Richard NordquistSee More About
glossary of grammatical and rhetorical terms 

Definition:
A literary and rhetorical term for an elaborate or strained figure of speech, usually a metaphor or simile. 

Originally used as a synonym for "idea" or "concept," conceit refers to a particularly fanciful figurative device that's intended to surprise and delight readers by its cleverness and wit. Carried to extremes, a conceit may instead serve to perplex and annoy.

Steve Skelton is quite adept at developing his conceit, and he makes use of all of the possibilities the device offers. 2 Cows and a Chicken is filled with surprise and delight as well as cleverness and wit. It can also perplex and annoy, but that's all part of the fun.

The third snippet is a link to take you, Dear and Faithful Readers, back in time to June 30, 2008 and the debut of the strip. You will find it invaluable should you wish to catch up on the five-and-a-half years of Steve Skelton's brand of sizzling, finger-lickin'-good fun you may have missed.

The adventure begins here.

Shameless Plug: A subscription to GoComics only costs $.99 a month ($11.88 a year) to have all the comics and cartoons you like delivered to your inbox every day. Who knows what might come of that? You might even start a blog of your own.