The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

THE STORY OF THE TRIDS

ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE MIDDLE OF THE OCEAN THERE WAS AN ISLAND
CALLED TRIDIA. ON THIS ISLAND LIVED THE TRIDS. NOW, THE TRIDS WERE A
LITTLE STRANGE IN THAT INSTEAD OF KEEPING ALL THEIR
SUPPLIES RIGHT NEAR THEM THEY STORED THEM UP ON TOP OF THIS
MOUNTAIN THAT WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ISLAND. THEY DID THIS IN CASE
THEY WERE EVER ATTACKED FROM THE SEA, BECAUSE THE MOUNTAIN WAS MORE
EASILY DEFENDED. THE FACT THAT THEY HAD NEVER BEEN ATTACKED FROM
THE SEA DIDN'T INFLUENCE THEM TOO MUCH. ANYWAY, ONE DAY THIS BIG
GIANT CAME WALKING ACROSS THE OCEAN AND SAT DOWN RIGHT ON TOP OF
THE MOUNTAIN, AND WHENEVER ANY OF THE TRIDS WOULD TRY TO GET TO THE
SUPPLIES HE WOULD KICK THEM OFF. WELL, NEEDLESS TO SAY , THIS WAS
A BAD SITUATION FOR THE TRIDS, SINCE THEY COULDN'T GET AT ANY OF
THEIR FOOD, AND THEY SENT ARMIES TO TRY AND DRIVE THE GIANT AWAY
BUT THE GIANT WAS IMPERVIOUS TO THE WEAPONS THEY HAD, AND THEY
SENT LEADERS TO TRY AND REASON WITH HIM, BUT THE RESULT WAS ALWAYS
THE SAME, ALL OF THE TRIDS WOULD GET KICKED OFF THE MOUNTAIN. WELL,
ONE OF THE TRIDS HAD A FRIEND VISITING HIM FROM ANOTHER COUNTRY WHO
WAS A RABBI, AND THE RABBI SAID, LET ME GO TALK TO THE GIANT, MAYBE
HE'LL UNDERSTAND ME, MAYBE HE SPEAKS YIDDISH OR SOMETHING. SEEING
AS HOW THE SITUATION WAS GETTING DESPERATE THE TRIDS DECIDED TO LET
THE RABBI TRY IT, SO THE NEXT DAY HE LED A DELEGATION OF TRIDS UP
THE MOUNTAIN. WHEN THEY GOT NEAR THE TOP, THE GIANT CAME RUNNING
DOWN THE MOUNTAIN AND KICKED ALL THE TRIDS OFF BUT LEFT THE RABBI
STANDING THERE. THE RABBI LOOKED UP AT THE GIANT, AND SAID, GIANT
WHY DID YOU KICK ALL THE TRIDS OFF AND NOT ME? THE GIANT LOOKED
DOWN AT THE RABBI AND SAID, SILLY RABBI, KICKS ARE FOR TRIDS.

Submitter comment: THIS STORY REFERS TO A TV COMMERCIAL FOR A CEREAL CALLED TRIX, IN
WHICH A RABBIT IS ALWAYS TRYING TO GET SOME OF THE CEREAL AND IS
CAUGHT EACH TIME AND TOLD TRIX ARE FOR KIDS.
BELONGS IN BRUNVAND'S SHAGGY DOG TALE INDEX UNDER C1400-C1599, PUNCH
LINE FROM ADVERTISING

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

James Callow Keyword(s): PUN

Date learned: 11-00-1973