tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19106928.post7681331640749812078..comments2024-02-29T02:37:34.896-06:00Comments on Ivebeenreadinglately: A Hard-manLevi Stahlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11094919454842047688noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19106928.post-26473840458081515542013-08-29T08:16:52.471-05:002013-08-29T08:16:52.471-05:00The belief prevails. I recall meeting (1988 I thin...The belief prevails. I recall meeting (1988 I think) a serious young man sat under a tree in the former Governors compound in(then Georgetown)Gambia. He wore a small (about 1.5 inches) pebblestone with a narrow hole within, all closely tied about his throat on a thin leathern thong. We were speaking in English of war and courage and he explained that the stone made him immune to shots - they would pass through him without causing injury. I thought he was joking me, but he was entirely serious and spoke of fetching his gun. I thought that might not turn out too well so suggested a beer instead. He was irritated that I did not believe him, and we parted soon after. Happily he did not return with his gun, although we spent much of the night nervously listening for him!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19106928.post-49388000482413957442012-02-18T08:23:22.691-06:002012-02-18T08:23:22.691-06:00One finds in Simplicissimus the belief that some m...One finds in <i>Simplicissimus</i> the belief that some men have rendered themselves bullet-proof by selling themselves to the devil. More recently a belief in magical protection against bullets has proved unfortunate--the Sioux "Ghost Dancers" in the late 1800s, and Congolese insurgents in the 1960s.Georgehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14819154529261482038noreply@blogger.com