Den of Dragons and Such

I really just have to summarize Thomas's entire life:

He was in a committed relationship with a male swan named Henry for 18-24 years before a female swan named Henrietta showed up and mated with Henry.

Thomas was initially jealous of the pair and attacked them, breaking 2 of the 5 eggs Henrietta had laid. However, once the remaining eggs hatched, Thomas warmed up to them and helped raise them.

Henry couldn't fly because of an injured wing, so Thomas taught the cygnets how to fly.

When they needed to reduce the goose population in the pond where Thomas and the swans lived, they dyed Thomas's feathers red so he wouldn't be separated from Henry.

Henry, Henrietta, and Thomas remained in their happy throuple for years and raised 68 cygnets before Henry died in 2009. After Henry's death, Henrietta found another swan and flew away, leaving Thomas alone.

Thomas finally met and mated with a female goose in 2011 and had his own babies. However, another goose named George stole them and raised them himself.

As Thomas grew elderly and blind, he was relocated to a wildlife center where he raised orphaned cygnets.

His caretaker at the center described him as "pretty high maintenance."

Thomas died in 2018 at the age of around 40. He had a funeral that included a small coffin and a procession that was led by a bagpiper. He was buried under the stone where Henry was buried, the two finally reunited in death.

All of the “true” “complete” “unshortened” versions of quotes you see on this site or in other places online are the real misconceptions, and the more familiar and well-known versions of the quotes are usually the original ones.

1. The blood of the covenant

So this one goes that the quote “blood is thicker than water” (meaning: family ties are more important than other bonds) is actually an incomplete version of the quote “the blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb” (meaning: bonds created between people are more important than family ties)

This “complete quote” is actually a modern interpretation by two authors named Albert Jack and R. Richard Pustelniak in a webpage from 1994, and has no historical evidence supporting it.

2. But satisfaction brought it back

This one is an extension of the quote “curiosity killed the cat” warning against experimentation and investigation by adding “but satisfaction brought it back” to subvert the meaning and make it about the reward of investigation and experimentation rather than the risks.

Like the previous “complete quote”, this extension has origins in modern media rather than in tradition that was changed or altered. Specifically in newspapers of the early 20th century.

3. But fools seldom differ

Another extension to a well-known quote. “Great minds think alike” used whenever two people come to the same conclusion independently, ammended with the phrase “but fools seldom differ” or sometimes “but small minds rare differ” to turn the phrase’s meaning.

Once again, while the original quote is centuries old, the “complete” version is a new invention, originating most likely from a 1996 book by Gregory Titelman.

Somebody noted on a popular post going around tumblr -which lists these “complete” versions and many other- out how while the shortened versions of the quotes tend to promote conformity and conservatism, the “original” quotes promote freedom and choice.

 And while the idea that conformists tried to change and altered these “true” quotes to promote their ideas, it’s really most likely the other way around.

New Secret Knots comic, "The River". I hope you like it!