Date:  Wed, 22 Oct 1997 17:15:14 PDT
From:  Amy Schroeder <ashroede[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]COUNSEL.COM>
Subject: Re: Bless You

My sixth grade teacher, rest her soul, insisted that we say God Bless You,
because, in her opinion, when you sneezed your spirit literally left your
body. Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't there some ancient Greek source
for this, something along the lines of one's spirit inhabiting the breath?
----------
>
> I have a horrible feeling that "puppy pie" is the same as Johanna's "cow
pie,"
> just from a different source, and that the bargee was upset to be called
the
> equivalent of a "shit eater," as well he might be!
>
> And while I'm at it, doesn't saying "Bless you" when someone sneezes go
back
> to
> the Black Death and sneezing as a symptom of plague? Remember that lovely
bit
> of dialogue from _The Lady's Not for Burning_, said by the priest (abbot,
> friar
> whoever) just as he exits, "God bless you in case you sneeze." "Thank
you. I
> may." Talk about preventive medicine! (Actually, this relationship just
> dawned on me after I'd been talking to a class about the nursery rhyme
"Ring
> Around a-Rosy" and its imitation of the plague-stricken.)
>
>