A question for those on my friends list who study the history of folklore:

[xiphias]

So, that thing about how you can escape from a vampire by throwing a large number of grains of rice, or seeds, or whatever in their path, and they will be distracted and stop until they have counted all of them, giving you time to run away -- does that predate or postdate Sesame Street?

yes, I am kidding. But it is a coincidence, is it not?

Comments

[metahacker.livejournal.com]

which part is the kidding?

Perhaps this inspired the Count...?

[rebmommy.livejournal.com]

Perhaps this inspired the Count...?

this was my thought, too - those Sesame Street writers were pretty knowledgeable and savvy - funny, too

[wcg.livejournal.com]

Might not be coincidence at all. Might be deliberate.

[post-ecdysis.livejournal.com]

I wonder how much of vampire lore is created by the vampires themselves for the lulz. "Mmmmm, yes, definitely rub garlic on yourselves. We hate that. NOM NOM NOM"

[chanaleh.livejournal.com]

Hee! But, the important step would be to EAT the garlic so that the tasty aromatics would get into one's bloodstream, no?

[bikergeek.livejournal.com]

"Definitely got the wrong vampire. Definitely. 1,944 grains of rice. Definitely got the wrong vampire. Fifteen minutes to Wapner. K-Mart sucks. Definitely got the wrong vampire."

[unquietsoul5.livejournal.com]

Hmmm... this brings the thought that the Vampire on Sesame street appears to be the first "Nice Guy" vampire... he never bites anyone, and unlike the cookie monster will not steal your cookies, eat your furniture etc.

Actually, as Kiralee and I thought about it, was the concept of the nice guy vampire something that totally originates (except maybe Camilla) with sesame street? Ann Rice's came later, as did Chelsea Quinn Yarboro (sp?), and media things like Forever Knight.

what?

[erik-j-meyer.livejournal.com]

Didn't anyone ever tell you that the undead are neurotically OCD? In modern vampires the OCD goes from being a compulsion to count everything to being metro-sexual angst ridden Slayer stalker types.