The Cardinal rose with a dignified look, He call'd for his candle, his bell, and his book: In holy anger, and pious grief, He solemnly curs'd that rascally thief! He curs'd him at board, he curs'd him in bed, From the sole of his foot to the crown of his head! He curs'd him in sleeping, that every night He should dream of the devil, and wake in a fright; He curs'd him in eating, he curs'd him in drinking, He curs'd him in coughing, in sneezing, in winking; He curs'd him in sitting, in standing, in lying; He curs'd him in walking, in riding, in flying; He curs'd him in living, he curs'd him in dying! Never was heard such a terrible curse! But what gave rise To no little surprise, Nobody seem'd one penny the worse!
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- A cardinal curses the bird extensively but the bird remains unaffected.
- In plain terms
- A man curses a bird for everything but nothing bad happens to the bird.
- What can you take from it?
- Anger does not always change reality.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Why does the curse fail?
- Who is the target?
Another view
This is a fictional exaggeration.
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