The Facts on File Dictionary of Allusions - Green Valley High School

continues to pursue the married Michael Douglas
after a short- lived affair. A woman who behaves in
such a fashion may be called a bunnyboiler after a
notorious scene in the fi lm in which a pet rabbit is
found in a pan of boiling water in the family home.
<strong>The</strong> police have had to deal with a number of fatal
attraction cases in the last few weeks.
Fat Controller A person in charge, especially if
he or she is large in size and offi cious in character.
<strong>The</strong> original Fat Controller (initially called the
Fat Director) was the head of the railways featured
in the Thomas the Tank Engine stories of the
Rev. W. Awdry (1911–97) and his son, the fi rst of
which appeared in 1946. <strong>The</strong>re’s room for only one
Fat Controller in this or ga ni za tion.
Fates (fayts) <strong>The</strong> implacable divinities who are
commonly believed to control the lives of mortal
men and women. <strong>The</strong> Fates (also called the Moirae
by the Greeks or the Parcae by the Romans)
were depicted in Greek and Roman mythology as
three sisters—identifi ed as daughters of Night—
who handled the thread of destiny (a length of
thread representing each individual life). Clotho
spun the thread at birth, Lachesis mea sured its
length and determined the amount of luck the
person would enjoy, and Atropos cut it with her
shears at the moment of death. “ ‘Ah!’ He shivered
as one shivers at the thought of disaster narrowly
averted. ‘<strong>The</strong> fates were good that I only came
near it!’ ” (Booth Tarkington, His Own People,
1907).
Father Christmas See santa claus.
Father, forgive them Expression of exasperation
at the nonsensical actions of others. <strong>The</strong> allusion is
to the seven last sentences of Christ on the Cross,
often referred to as the Seven Last Words. <strong>The</strong>
second of these, in which Christ requests forgiveness
for those who have brought about his death,
runs: “Father, forgive them; for they know not
what they do” (Luke 23:34). “Lo! where the crucifi
ed Christ from his Cross is gazing upon you! See!
in those sorrowful eyes what meekness and holy
compassion! Hark! how those lips still repeat the
prayer. ‘O Father, forgive them!’ Let us repeat it
now, and say, ‘O Father, forgive them’ ” (H. W.
Longfellow, Evangeline, 1847). See also know not
what they do, they.
Father Time A very old person, or time itself.
Time is often personifi ed as an old man with a
long white beard, bearing an hourglass and a
scythe with which to “reap” lives when the allotted
lifespans come to an end. <strong>The</strong> origins of this
image are obscure, but it was certainly widely
familiar by the 19th century at the latest. “Little
Father Time is what they always called me. It is a
nickname; because I look so aged, they say”
(Thomas Hardy, Jude the Obscure, 1895). See also
grim reaper.
fat of the land A life of luxury. <strong>The</strong> expression
comes from Genesis 45:18, in which Pharaoh
offered the brethren of Joseph the best treatment:
“I will give you the good of the land of
Egypt, and ye shall eat the fat of the land.” A person
who is said to live off the fat of the land is
one who enjoys the best of everything. “By—,
those fellows, who haven’t got a pound belonging
to them, think that they’re to live on the fat
of the land out of the sweat of the brow of such
men as me” (Anthony Trollope, Ayala’s Angel,
1881).
fatted calf, kill the See kill the fatted calf.
fatted calf, kill the
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