[Trombone-l] Flight of the Foo Birds

[Stan Brager]

Thanks, Sam. This is the same story I heard when just a teen. I passed it on
to my son as part of our family's oral tradition many years ago.

I've also heard of the term "foo on you!" when I was just a kid and, more
recently, the "Foo Fighters" rock group.

Stan
Stan Brager
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "sabutin" <sabutin at mindspring.com>
To: <TROMBONE-L at server5.SAMFORD.EDU>
Sent: Thursday, August 31, 2006 2:14 PM
Subject: Re: [Trombone-l] Flight of the Foo Birds


> >I was asked to translate the title "Flight of the Foo Birds" into
> >Spanish, at a big band gig,and the best I could do was explain "foo"
> >as a nonsense word.  The band wasn't digging it- they obviously
> >though I wasn't hip enough to really know what it meant.  They could
> >be right.   Any one have a more exciting story behind this title?
> >(real stories much apprieciated, but if you want to make one up,
> >well, it might be more exciting!)
> >
> >
>   It will be hard to do,  considering the language censorship on this
> site, plus your Spanish speakers are not going to get it at ALL,
> but...here goes.
>
> This is THE genesis of the "Foo Bird." Tre real deal. No kiddin'.
>
> =========================================================
>
> An explorer is making his way...with the inevitable help of native
> guides, of course...through the deepest rain forest. Suddenly under
> the low canopy of trees flies a gigantic bird, and all the locals
> scurry for cover, shouting "Foo bird!!! Foo bird!!!. One of them is
> not fast enough and the creature drops a load of bird crap all over
> him. The man makes absolutely no attempt to clean himself, but simply
> goes on about his business for the rest of the day.
>
> The explorer finds this exceedingly strange, especially after it
> happens several more times over a couple of weeks. When he asks his
> head guide why the Foo bird victims do not wash, the guide answers
> "OH!!! NO!!! Washing it off provokes a TERRIBLE poisoning. ANY
> contact with water. What you have to do is let it dry until it blows
> off as dust. VERY dangerous!!!"
>
> The explorer writes this off as just another local superstition .And
> the very next day, HE is the target of the Foo bird. Despite the best
> efforts of his guides, he immediately opens his canteen and splashes
> water all over himself. Within five minutes he is foaming at the
> mouth, and he dies in agony before sunset that day. The head guide
> says a prayer over his grave, and he and the other residents of the
> rain forest go on their way.
>
> End of story.
>
> And the the moral of this story?:
>
> If the Foo shits, wear it.
>
> =======================================================
>
> Sorry...you asked for it...
>
> S.
>
>