The rat thread below reminded me of what the apprentices in a leather tannery used to do in London in the 1930's.The apprentices could earn money for every rat they caught.All they needed to claim was to present the chopped off tail of the rat to the boss.

However,to have a little fun they would first immerse the live rat in one of the brightly coloured dye vats,then chop off its tail & let the rat loose on the street.

The area around the tannery acquired a reputation for green,red,yellow,blue & green tailess rats until sombody twigged what was happening.

Now the initiation rites at the end of a bookbinder's apprenticeship consisted of kissing the master binder's daughter...

No,that's much too disgusting to tell !

-- Chris (enquiries@griffenmill.com), December 12, 2000

Answers

drats

-- Dr. Pibb (dr.pibb@zdnetonebox.com), December 12, 2000.