Tuesday, May 24, 2011

What is a badger-thrower?

A badger-thrower must be carefully differentiated from a dachshund. Dachshunds were bred in the grassy fields of the Germanic principalities for the special purpose of hunting badgers by tunneling and digging into badger burrows and killing the badger in repose, often after a heroic battle, returning to the surface bloody but unbowed, wiggling its tiny tail.

The brave, skillful badger-thrower, arms akimbo, sturdy leather band on head, shovel strapped to back, strides from hillock to hillock, eyes shaded against the sun, searching for badger sign. Dashing in figure, the epitome of the proud Moldavian race, he will never be defeated by the sharp-clawed foe.

Smeelgova - Badger-thrower

My name is Smeelgova and I am a professional badger-thrower.

The profession of badger-throwing is sadly and widely misunderstood. In my native Moldova, a badger-thrower is an honorable trade, with a long and colorful history. It is a proud tradition, reaching back more than a thousand years.