Originally published at: Living creature with a shell attacks shod biped | Boing Boing
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The turtle has the right of way. It’s in the manual.
I thought it was the turtle’s way of saying, “hey baby”. Thinking the shoe is another turtle.
Well, that’s how I met my Wife. Sorta…
I am curious (Cow)
I’m sure @Ratel knows for sure
This experiment needs a control group.
Repeat this episode with a barefooted biped. Then again with an empty shoe. Then try with different shoes.
Funny story: even herpetologists sometimes use “turtle” to mean testudines generally and sometimes to mean waterborne turtles and close kin specifically (as distinct from land-dwelling tortoises and weirdo cousins the terrapins). Meaning cannot be separated from context, even in technical terminology.
I feel like it’s either being territorial, or it’s saying, “You haven’t brought me treats today.”
Not so much “hey baby”. Much more like “Leave now intruder!”
Leon: What do you mean, I’m not helping?
Biped knows what they did.
If you have a shell, your attack has already succeeded.
From Carnival of the Animals:
Tortoises
Come crown my brow with leaves of myrtle,
I know the tortoise is a turtle.
Come carve my name in stone immortal,
I know the turtoise is a tortle.
I know to my profound despair
I bet on one to beat a hare.
I also know I’m now a pauper
Because of its tortley, turtley, torpor.
Music by Saint-Saëns, words by Ogden Nash, read by Noel Coward. Great Album.
Could it be defending a nest of eggs?