Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Object of the Day, Caption Contest: Baa, Baa Frightened Sheep

Click image to enlarge.





Well, what have we here? It’s not a trade card. It’s printed on very thin, almost oniony paper. It appears to me that this was cut from a book. There’s nothing printed on the reverse, but there’s a lot going on in the scene on the front.

The chromolithograph brings us the sort of genre scene which was all the rage from the late Eighteenth to early Twentieth Centuries. I figure this scrap dates to about 1860-1870. It shows a pair of tots engaged in bucolic farm antics. The young boy in blue breeches is making a basket. Perhaps it’s a scene from a mental institution. Meanwhile, the boy in red breeches is shearing a sheep. Or—maybe he’s holding a knife to its throat and threatening it for some reason. It looks terrified and he looks…determined, at best. 


So, let’s have a caption contest. I know how we all feel about sheep around here. In fact, it’s going to be an “all sheep” day. Tell me, by posting in the comments, what you think is happening here? I can’t wait to see your thoughts.

And, just for fun, here's a clip from my favorite miniseries ever, "The Tenth Kingdom."




22 comments:

April said...

You think he's threatening that sheep? This is the after shot. The ship just killed his mother. They fought, struggling for the knife. What happens next is too gruesome.

Joseph Crisalli said...

And good morning to you, Sunshine.

Gene said...

I think the sheep looks shifty too.

Joseph Crisalli said...

And we all know sheep don't float.

Matt said...

"Give me the money. I don't want cut you."

Joseph Crisalli said...

Gangster sheep.

Dashwood said...

These are two Italian brothers, Antonio and Guido, who have hatched the idea of becoming barbers in their new land of England. Practicing on sheep and making their own shop fixtures of straw they doggedly struggled to become the famous chain of Toni and Guy.

The sheep (altruistic and noble as they are despite the bad press) gave his coat and a considerable amount of blood to the project. And what did he get??? MUTTON!!!

Angelo said...

Change the sheep to another guy and it looks like any minute from my childhood.

Joseph Crisalli said...

How delightfully Angelo of you.

Barb said...

He's on the lamb.

Joseph Crisalli said...

Oh! More gangster humor! Brava, Barb...Brava.

Joseph Crisalli said...

Dashwood, yours slipped through the moderation crack. But, what a great answer! Mutton! That does explain Toni and Guy.

Sam P said...

I've been trying to think of a West Side Story sheep pun all morning and I can't come up with a thing.

Joseph Crisalli said...

Ovina...
I just met a sheep named Ovina,
And, suddenly that sheep will always be a creep to me...

Ovina...
Say it loud and it sounds like bleating.
Grill her up and you're gonna be eating...

Ovina...
I'll never stop saying...

Oooooooooooh...vin.aaaaaaaaaaaa.


There you go.

Carolyn said...

The original silence of the lambs.

Joseph Crisalli said...

It rubs the lotion on its skin...

Book Gurl said...

Looks like a shearing pain.

Joseph Crisalli said...

Ah, puns...

Shawn said...

Everyone is so funny! Reading these comments never fails to make me laugh. I tried to come up with something clever, but I am at a "shear" loss...

Joseph Crisalli said...

Oh...well, you can't pull the wool over my eyes.

Darcy said...

Sam the sheep knew he had to be shorn when he entered the witness protection program. After all when you change your identity it helps if you change your looks.
But when he saw the boy with the basket he started to get nervous. And then when he looked up he saw it was Rocco holding the shears. "Bo Peep says hello " Rocco said as he plunged the blade in his jugular.

Joseph Crisalli said...

Ha! Wonderful! I love it!